Woman who gave birth to premature twins adds words of encouragement
Mother urges Scots to give blood in 2009
Published:
A north-east mother of twins is encouraging Scots to make a New Year’s resolution to give blood.
Pamela Walker gave birth to Adam and Gemma at 27 weeks in February last year. The pair weighed just 1lb 14oz and 2lb 5oz and needed several blood transfusions while being treated in the special-care baby unit at Ninewells Hospital in Dundee.
Speaking from the family home at Elrick, Aberdeenshire, Mrs Walker said: “I am delighted to encourage everyone in Scotland to come forward and give blood at least once in 2009.
“Without blood donors, my beautiful twins simply wouldn’t be here.
“I’d ask everyone to look at us and make the best New Year’s resolution ever – save a life in 2009 by giving blood.”
More than 400 premature babies are born every month in Scotland and each can require up to 50 blood transfusions.
Lynne Willdigg, Aberdeen manager for the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, said: “We need everyone in Scotland who is over the age of 17 to make a commitment to come forward and give blood at least once in 2009. This will help reverse the donor base decline we are now witnessing.”
New figures released today show Scotland has 30,000 fewer blood donors than a decade ago. In 1998 there were 208,000 donors in Scotland. That figure has now fallen to 179,000.
To register as a blood donor or to find out where your nearest donation session is, call 0845 90 90 999, text “blood” to 61611, or visit www.scotblood.co.uk
Also doing her bit for the donor base is Peterhead nurse Joanne Duncan, who asked 40 of her friends for a pint of blood to celebrate her 40th birthday.
Shame
Mrs Duncan, who works at the A&E department at Peterhead Hospital, said: I realise how important it is to have a supply of blood especially at this time of the year.
“The adverts on the TV appealing for donors caught my attention and I wanted to do something different, which would benefit others.
“I must really hang my head in shame as I’ve never given before but have always said I would and never got round to it – so now there’s no backing out.”
