In Dundee, 357 donations of blood are needed weekly to ensure that our hospitals have enough supplies to meet their needs.
In Scotland the figure is 3,300.
Across three regional sites, with five donor centres, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) works to ensure donors are given the opportunity to give blood and help save a life.
As a donor myself, I have often wondered what happens with your blood once you have donated, normally around 470ml (1 pint). This amount has the capacity to save up to three lives.
When your donation is complete, the journey for your blood has only just begun.
Here is a rare, behind-the-scenes look, at that process.
Claire Milne, 25, from Arbroath, is a student paramedic.
She spoke to The Courier at Dundee Blood Donor Centre in Ninewells Hospital while giving a whole-blood donation.
“I’ve been giving blood for a few years now because it’s one of the easiest ways to help people that need it the most,” said Claire.
‘How vital blood can be’
“It’s important to me because I know just how vital blood can be in treatment and care.
“I would encourage everyone who is eligible to donate as it is quick and painless, and the staff are always lovely and caring, and a bonus is the free biscuits after.”
Social work student Sarah Jones, 20, from Dundee, started donating because of a family member.
She said: “I give blood because I know that so many people need it and rely on it.
“My sister was born three months premature, and she needed blood.
“I feel like it’s a requirement for me to do given the fact so many others gave blood to her.
‘It is very fast is practically painless’
“I suggest everyone who can donate does. It takes 30 minutes and is very fast and practically painless.”
On their journey, blood donations are collected and taken to the Jack Copland Centre in Edinburgh for processing into their separate components.
These are red blood cells, platelets and plasma.
Red blood cells help patients who are anaemic; platelets, patients who have bone marrow failure, have had chemotherapy, or undergone a transplant; and white blood cells, patients who may be affected by life-threatening infections and are not responding to antibiotics.
Then there is plasma, part of your blood that carries platelets, red, and white blood cells around the body.
It also contains antibodies, which can be made into medicines for patients with immune disorders and rare diseases.
Centrifuge
Whole-blood donations are placed in a centrifuge, a machine which spins the bags, separating plasma at the top and red cells at the bottom.
The blood bags go through filtration, which is the removal of white cells to reduce the likelihood of transfusion rejection by the patient.
For newborns and babies there are special Pedi-packs, which hold much smaller volumes, around 70ml.
Plasma makes up 55% of human blood, making it the single largest component.
Clotting factors
It contains antibodies, water and proteins called clotting factors, which stop the bleeding if you cut yourself for instance.
People like Ron Buist, 69, from Arbroath, also donate their plasma.
He told The Courier: “I started to give blood at Dundee Royal Infirmary when I was at school at the age of 18.
Patients
“Over the years as a nurse in neurosurgery I looked after patients who required blood or plasma.
“I had a family member who required blood products during treatment for cancer.
“I would encourage anyone who is fit and healthy to consider becoming a blood donor. It could help someone at a time of need, and you can feel good that you have helped.”
Plasma, once separated, is stored below -25C in a blast freezer within one hour of arrival, to preserve the clotting factor.
It has a shelf life of 12 months once frozen; however, it needs to be used within 24 hours after thawing.
The flexibility of plasma means it can also be used to make a variety of life-saving products and medicines.
By quick freezing, you preserve the clotting factor, and it can be used to treat patients who have major bleeding.
For The Courier’s Be Our Blood campaign we are asking people across Tayside, Fife and Stirling to register here to become a donor.
Every donation can save up to three lives, but less than 3% of eligible people in Scotland give blood.
SNBTS needs 500 more people to become a donor in our area this year alone.
Conversation