Blood donors needed at Kildare blood clinic to save lives

One in four people will need a blood transfusion at some point in their lives.  

Every day, patients in hospitals throughout Ireland require blood transfusions. Sometimes it may be for a routine surgical procedure such as a hip operation. Other times it may be for someone recovering from a road traffic accident, major surgery such as a heart bypass or perhaps a transfusion is needed to enable a patient to tolerate the effects of cancer treatment.  

The Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) provides the blood and blood products needed in hospitals to help these patients. Every week 3,000 donations are needed in Ireland. A coronary artery bypass may use between 1 and 5 units of blood.  

A car accident victim may require up to 30 units of blood, a bleeding ulcer could require anything between 3 and 30 units of blood. An average adult has between 10 and 12 pints of blood. A blood donation is just 470mls – less than one pint. Please remember that James Connolly Memorial required 1,908 units in 2019.

If you’d like to help, there is an opportunity to give blood at the IBTS mobile clinic in Kilcock G.A.A. Sports Centre, Kilcock on Tuesday February 26 from 4:30pm to 8pm.

For further details, please contact the lo-call Donor Information Line 1850 – 73 11 37 or Finbar Gethins, Area Manager at the Ardee Regional Office, 041 – 685 9994 or www.giveblood.ie