Once-off blood donations are not used (you have to donate again)

I had been meaning to get to my local blood donor centre for weeks. They're open only on Wednesdays and Fridays. The WCBS Blood Donor Centre was a hive of activity after a call-out for donors was shared. As many of you many know, a building that was under construction collapsed here in George on Monday afternoon. 39 of the 75 people that were working on and in the building when it fell down are unaccounted for (7 of the 36 retrieved are dead). 

This town of George has been amazing with people volunteering in every and any capacity - from donating food and beverages for the rescue workers, providing emotional support for the waiting family members, contributing safety equipment, helping to remove rubble, and preparing meals for the 150+ people, including police and medical personnel, on site throughout the day and night. The volunteer support has been amazing, but it has also been understandably overwhelming for those dealing with this on the ground. 

Today's call-out for blood donors was made with good intentions by someone. I learned at the Centre that blood stocks were actually good (shared somewhere said stocks were critical) and both the Centre and a school's blood drive, planned before the disaster, were inundated with donors. While wonderful, it is also a challenge. 

There is something else too (and I'll say it again and again)... Once-off donations are not used. When you donate for the first time, your blood is tested and then separated into components, and your plasma is frozen and stored. When you go back a second time and your tests are clear again, they use the frozen plasma and store your new donation. When you return a 3rd time and your tests are clear, they use the second donation. These three donations must happen within a 12-month period (you can donate up to 6 times a year). Only once you have a 'regular donor' status will all of your blood components be used. The reason they do this is to ensure that you are healthy and that there is no risk to the recipient. 

Also, when you donate, whether in a disaster situation or not, you can't choose who your blood must go to. It goes to the blood bank and will be given to whoever needs it, whenever it is needed. 

To all those people who kindly donated today: please go back in two months time and donate again. And then go back in another two months. What SANBS and WCBS need is to have more regular donors throughout the year, and year after year.