Christmas blood shortage warning

The SNBTS fears it could lose 6,000 donors over the festive period

More people need to give blood to avoid a 50% drop in donations over the festive period, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has warned.

The service said donations fell by 25% during the same period in 2007.

It fears the situation could be worse this year because Christmas falls on a Thursday, the most popular day for giving blood.

Brian Cartwright from Aberdeenshire, who needs blood transfusions twice a month, urged donors to come forward.

Mr Cartwright from Laurencekirk, who has leukaemia, said he owed his life to blood donors.

He said: "I will continue for the rest of my life to rely on people giving blood. I need blood every two weeks, that helps me to lead as normal a life as I can.

"I would say to people who give blood regularly - please keep up your regular donation of blood. And for those who haven't yet given blood - it only takes a short amount of time, and you would be saving somebody's life with that."

New donors

The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is writing to 5,000 regular donors asking them to give blood, but said it needed more new donors.

Dr Moira Carter, national donor service manager, said: "We anticipate blood supplies could fall dramatically.

"We may lose up to 6,000 donations over the Christmas and New Year period, which is half of Scotland's blood supply.

"Platelets, which only have a shelf life of only five days, face a similar shortage. It is essential donors come forward for Scotland's patients this Christmas."

Information on how to register as a donor can be found on the SNBTS website.