Blood donations vital, says survivor of pub gun attack

CHARLIE CHAWKE knows better than most that donated blood saves life.

The Dublin publican survived horrific shotgun wounds with the help of massive transfusions totalling more than 20 litres.

Mr Chawke, 55, underwent three operations within five days of the gun attack on October 3, 2003 and needed transfusions totalling more than three times his own body blood. He had a leg amputated as of a result of the gun attack during a robbery outside one of his five Dublin pubs.