The South African National Blood Service needs your help! How, you may ask? By donating blood, of course.
At the moment, blood stocks are critically low, and the SANBS needs group O+ donors to donate.
If you don’t know what your blood type is, then you can simply do a test to determine what type you carry.
Also read: Don’t forget to donate blood this Easter – SANBS
Did you know? According to the SANBS, the presence or absence of specific protein molecules known as antigens and antibodies cause changes in human blood. Antigens are found on the surface of red blood cells, whereas antibodies are found in blood plasma. Individuals have varying amounts and combinations of these chemicals. Your blood type is determined by what you acquired from your parents.
Also read: SANBS operations to continue under level 4 restrictions
What does my blood group mean?
All donors are members of one of four blood groups: A, B, AB, or O. You are also labelled as Rh positive or Rh negative. As a result, there are eight distinct blood types.
Not all blood types are compatible, and the success of contemporary transfusion treatment is dependent on accurately identifying and matching donors and recipients.
Because it may be donated to patients of any blood group, group O blood is known as the universal blood type.
Donors are encouraged to go out to the following donations sites and donate blood:
The Monument Donor Center is open from 9:00: to 17:00 at shops seven and eight on the corner of Voortrekker Road and Van Oordt Street, Monument.
The Westgate Donor Center is open from 9:00: to 17:00 at Shop 170 on Ondekkers Road, Roodepoort.
The Beacon Road Donor Center is open from 9:00: to 17:00 at office number five, 31 Beacon Road, building five, Florida North.
The Northgate Donor Center is open from 9:00: to 18:00 at shop 8B Banking Court on Olievenhout and Northumberland Avenue at the Northgate Shopping Centre.
To find out if you can donate or for more information, visit the SANBS website at https://sanbs.org.za/.
