Valentine’s Day Raffle encourages more people to donate blood

Tuesday 2 January 2024: Bermuda Hospitals Board today announces a  ‘bring-a-friend’ raffle being run by the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre. Starting on Tuesday 2 January 2024, if an existing blood donor brings another person who hasn’t donated before to donate blood, both the existing and new donor will be put in a draw for one of six $250 Masters gift certificates. The draw will be made on Valentine’s Day on Wednesday 14 February 2024.

“Masters has donated a number of gift certificates to us and we will be using them throughout the year as we find different ways to thank our donors,” says Lucy Correia, Nurse Phlebotomist. “As this raffle ends on Valentine’s Day we want to see people bring a new donor – it could be a friend, colleague or loved one. Both our regular and new donor to have a chance to win.”

“We always need more blood donors, but we also need people who can donated platelets, which is a special type of donation called apheresis,” Lucy adds. “First time blood donors can be tested to see if they fit the criteria. Platelets are used for patients who have compromised immune systems, such as cancer and leukaemia patients.”

Lucy also notes that people who spent time in the UK can also now donate. She says, “People who had spent time in the UK between 1980 and 1996 can now donate. This criteria was relaxed last year following scientific evidence that it was safe to do so.”

People who want to book an appointment to donate blood should contact the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre by phone 236-5067, WhatsApp 533-9553 or email blood.donor@bhb.bm. The blood donation site https://bermudahospitals.bm/be-a-donor/ also has more information and the latest criteria for donating.

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