A SOUTH Wales man who has been donating blood platelets for almost 50 years has recently made his 1,000th donation.
Howard Provis, 65, is one of Wales’ longest serving donors, having first donated blood at the age of 18.
Mr Provis (above), from Barry, said that – thanks to a background in first aid and first responding – he saw donating blood as a chance to give others a second chance.
“I have seen people in many situations that have required blood,” he said. “For me being able to give blood or platelets has given some of those people a second chance to live or spend precious extra time with their families and friends.
“Tomorrow, it could be me that needs a blood or platelet donation, or my wife, family or a friend.
“The thought that my donation today could potentially save someone’s life tomorrow has inspired me to keep supporting the Welsh Blood Service.”
Alan Prosser, director of the Welsh Blood Service, said: “Howard is one of only a handful of donors to reach this incredible milestone, and his donations will have helped patients in need from hospitals across the whole of Wales.
“His commitment to helping others is truly inspirational, and we hope his story encourages others to start their own lifesaving journey this National Blood Donor Week.”
National Blood Donor Week aims to raise awareness of the lifesaving importance of blood donation and encourage those who have never donated to give it a go.
More than 350 blood donations are needed every day across Wales. These donations play a vital role in saving lives by supporting a range of treatments – from helping recovering accident victims and patients with blood cancers to supporting mothers and newborn babies during childbirth.
The Welsh Blood Service supports 20 hospitals across the country and relies on donations from blood, platelet and bone marrow donors to help patients in need.
“We must say a huge thank you to every single donor who has supported us over the past two years,” said Mr Prosser. “It has been a challenging period, but the generosity of people across Wales has been unwavering.
“As our service works towards a post-covid collection service, we hope more people will step forward and join our lifesaving team.
“Following changes to UK donation guidelines, more people than ever before can safely donate, which means there has never been a better time to give it a go.”
World Blood Donor Day (Tuesday, June 14), is the one-year anniversary of landmark changes introduced which meant all donors – regardless of gender – are now asked a set of questions, meaning that more people than ever before, including those from the LGBTQ+ community, are potentially eligible to donate.
You can find out more, or book a blood donation appointment, by visiting wbs.wales/nbdw22. If you are aged 17 to 30, you can also sign up to the Welsh Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
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