TAUPO BLOOD DONORS

Taupo Times, Volume II, Issue 86, 11 September 1953, Page 1

TAUPO BLOOD DONORS

VISIT OF MOBILE UNIT Dr. M. G. Somerville, Waikato Hospital Pathologist, is to visit Taupo on Wednesday next, 16th, with the Hospital Board's mobile unit, to coilect blood donations for the Board's blood bank scheme. Mr A. Kennedy, secretary of the local Committee set up on July 29th last to organise blood donors, advises that donors will be needed to attend at the new Annexe at the Hospital commencing at 6 p.m. Notices will be sent to each donor, and will specify the time at which the donor is required, in order to avoid any unnecessary waiting. Two donors will be dealt with at a time, and it is expected that the work will be completed by 8 p.m. This is the first visit of the mobile blood bank unit to Taupo since the local Committee was set up. At the meeting which inaugurated the scheme in Taupo it was stated that some seventy or more donors were needed. Those willing to become blood donors shdtild communiciate with the secretary, Mr A. Kennedy. Any normal healthy person could donate a pint of blood frequently without ill effect, stated Dr. F. B. Sill at the July meeting, but a minimum of three months was made between bleedings as a rule, and in practice donors were not asked for blood more than three times a year. The actual operation, which is quite painless, takes about five minutes. A dressing is put on the arm, the donor is given some refreshment, usually a cup of tea, and the procedure is completed in about a quarter of an hour. Later each donor receives a membership card, and when possible is advised how his blood was used.