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 | | Tuesday, 4 December, 2001, 06:40 GMT Scots urged to give blood  The SNBTS wants people to spare the time to give blood Christmas shoppers in Scotland have been urged to give blood in the run-up to the festive season. The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has launched its Christmas campaign with the message that just three teaspoons of blood could save a premature baby's life. The SNBTS said it needs 1,000 donations a day to maintain blood stocks, but for about five weeks over the Christmas holiday period donations can drop by about 10%. There are more than 250,000 active blood donors in Scotland, but the SNBTS said it needs 50,000 more next year.
Bad weather also prevents donors getting to sessions, leading to a risk of low supplies. Moira Eadie, SNBTS donor services manager, said: "Every minute of every day someone in Scotland is receiving blood, yet it only has a shelf life of 35 days and can't be stockpiled. "This means that when people fail to donate due to Christmas shopping, office parties or plain bad weather, our supplies can become dangerously low." At the Queen Mother's Hospital in Glasgow on Tuesday, the service was due to enlist the help of Robert Boyd and his parents to drive home the message that everyone should take time out from their Christmas shopping to give blood. Robert was born prematurely in March, weighing just 1lb 9oz and he required more than 20 transfusions to save his life. The Scottish Ambulance Service has sponsored this year's campaign, with more than 1,000 of its vehicles carrying advertisements urging people to give blood over Christmas. | |
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