Swart steps up to the ‘plate’

PLATELET donation is not new to the medical field. For years, the South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has been able to save lives through the selfless donations.

However, last week the Durban North Blood Donor Clinic celebrated its first platelet donation when Peter Swart stepped up as a donor at the centre.

The Durban North resident, who has been a regular blood donor in the past, said the procedure was similar to a blood donation.

The simple procedure takes about two hours to complete, and an individual can donate every four weeks.

During a platelet donation, blood is drawn from the donor’s arm through sterile tubing into a centrifuge, a device that separates platelets from the rest of the blood, and then returns the remaining blood to the donor.

To date, the 44-year-old has made 35 blood donations and 99 platelet donations.
According to Jane Groom, SANBS special projects coordinator, platelets are primarily used to assist cancer patients.

“Platelets are small cell fragments in a person’s blood, which collect and form a clot when a blood vessel is injured. The chemotherapy destroys the good and the bad cells of the cancer patients. This prevents clotting and could lead to severe or life threatening bleeding,” she explained.

When asked why he continued his service as a donor Swart explained that when his daughter was eight months old she was attacked by dog.

“She received eight litres of blood. This saved her life, and today she is happy and healthy. That event cemented the importance of these donations with me,” said the husband and father of four.

Like blood donations, there is always a need for platelet donations. The SANBS encourages the community to donate and save a life.

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