Save a Life Donate Blood

Thabazimbi – By donating blood, you are giving the gift of life! Every unit of blood can save a minimum of three lives as blood is separated into red blood cells, plasma and platelets.
But many Thabazimbi community members don’t know how or where to donate blood ever since Marie Steenekamp, who used to coordinate the blood drives, sadly passed away in 2021.

The Covid-19 pandemic further hampered blood drives. Platinum Bushvelder set out to find out more about one of the South African Blood Service’s (SANBS) most adamant recruiters and to highlight the importance of donors. Saving three lives was motivation enough to get Colette Gouws to start donating blood.

In 2006, Gouws soon recognised the desperate need, and because of this, she has been working as a donor recruiter for the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) for nearly twenty years! Gouws, who is actively involved in donor recruitment in Thabazimbi, also organises and hosts a monthly blood drive in coordination with the Rustenburg SANBS on the first Wednesday of every month, hosted at the NG Church in Thabazimbi.

Paul Dreyer, a regular donor, said, “Years ago, I started donating blood with my mother, so donating is kind of in my blood. I see it as a good deed done for society.”

SANBS provides an essential service within South Africa by collecting and distributing blood to those in need.
The recipients of the blood include:

• Women with pregnancy complications, such as ectopic pregnancies where the fertilized egg can’t survive, and the growing tissue may cause life-threatening bleeding.  
• Children with severe anaemia.
• People with severe physical trauma following accidents or natural disasters.
• Patients who undergo complex surgical procedures.
• Cancer patients.

Because red cells can only be stored in refrigerators at 6ºC for up to 42 days, and platelets at room temperature in refrigerators for five days, there is always a need for blood as the demand always outweighs the supply.

MARK YOUR CALENDAR!

Regular blood donations by healthy donors are in high demand. Be a hero and make sure you don’t miss the next blood drive in Thabazimbi on 1 March 2023 at the NG Church from 14:00 to 18:00. For more information contact the SANBS toll-free number at 0800 119 031.

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