GREY High School held a blood drive on February 22, which resulted in 77 units of blood being collected.
According to Maryke Harris, donor relations practitioner of SANBS PE East branch, a total of 4 356 blood drives were held in the Eastern Cape from January 1 to February 24, and the blood drive at Grey High School brought in the fifth-most units among the community blood drives.
For the same period, the school came 156th out of 44 291 drives held nationally.
“Any school which is willing to host blood drives is truly remarkable,” said Harris. “Considering that 25% of all blood collections are from 16- to 25-year-olds, SANBS is facing huge challenges to make up for the units lost from not visiting schools (due to lockdown).
“The hope is that young people, as well as people working from home now, will donate blood at a donor centre or shopping centre near them, to try to ensure that the units, which are in great demand, are still collected,” she added.
“Heroes come in all shapes, sizes and ages. You don’t have to donate blood to be a hero. Encouraging others to do so is also a way of giving back.”
