Heroes awarded for their generosity

The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) thanked and awarded more than 200 of its regular blood donors at Usambara on 1 June during their Egoli West Donor Awards.

Keith Nash, Egoli West Donor Committee Chairman said that he wanted to thank the donors who donate blood and platelets regularly.

“To be invited to this event means that you have reached a milestone.”
Tebogo Magopane, Egoli Zone Collections Manager told the donors that they make the country proud each time they give up their valuable time to donate a unit of lifesaving liquid.

“You save lives and that make you heroes!'”

During an address delivered by dr Charlotte Ingram, SANBS’ Medical Director, the need for donors was again prioritised when she said that the demand for blood has increased.

“Tonight we pay a special tribute to our donors and to our staff who collect each unit of blood.”

She said that South Africa is currently in the top five countries where safe blood is available.

“That is why we start our campaigns at school level already to educate the young that it is important to donate safe blood.”

Raymond Funnell, who was given a second chance at life thanks to blood and platelet donors who give up their time was the guest speaker.

He told his sad story about how he almost died, but owing to the heroes who made visits to the SANBS, he was able to recover and live his life to the fullest.

“You always hear about super heroes and when I was little I dreamt of being a hero myself, but never did I realise that one day I will meet real-life heroes,” Raymond said.

He said that he was diagnosed with a very aggressive form of leukemia and doctors predicted that he had a 20 per cent chance on survival.

“After receiving a bone marrow transplant I was dependant on blood donors to save my life for a very long time.”

Today he is healthy and has climbed some of the highest mountains with his son Jayson.

“During the Soccer World Cup tournament I decided to climb Mount Kilimanjaro in September that year. It was a spiritual experience climbing the highest mountain in Africa and was an emotional experience reaching the summit with my other three climbing companions. I don’t think there were many dry eyes at the top.”

He said that this experience opened a new world and took away the feeling of limitations.

“I felt that I could do anything so I decided to embark on climbing the seven summits!”

During the official donor awards ceremony 248 medals were awarded, equalling 22 570 donated blood units.

Twenty-one donors who are part of the Club 25, a campaign that is focused on the youth to donate 20 units of blood before they turn 26, were awarded.

People receive their first medal once they have made more than 50 donations.
Medals were given to donors who donated 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 275, 300 and more than 325 units of blood respectively.

Three donors who have donated more than 275 units of blood received the Antonie van Leeuwenhoek medal.

Ronald Ferraris was the only recipient of the Karl Laudsteiner medal for donors who have donated 300 units of blood, but what made it more special is that he already donated a magnificent 325 units of blood.

“Here we have someone who has given more than forty years of his life to save lives around him,” Keith said.