Garda spearheads blood donor drive after loss of son

The death of his son from leukaemia has prompted a garda to set up a charity event to encourage more people to donate blood.

Stephen Roe is one of a number of members of the traffic corps in Cork City who intend to undertake a gruelling 660km cycle from Malin Head to Mizen Head and sponsorship is by way of becoming a blood donor.

His appeal, in advance of the April 27-30 cycle, couldn’t be better timed as the Blood Transfusion Board is running very low on stock.

“My son Alex, aged 21, died in May 2010, five years after he was diagnosed with leukaemia. He had to have up to 50 (blood) transfusions. It was then I realised the value of blood transfusions because, without donors he would have died much sooner,” Stephen said.

The gardaí are hoping new and lapsed donors will go to their local blood transfusion clinic and give blood.

They had initially set a target of 660 donations, one for every kilometre they’ll cycle. But already 330 donations have been made and a further 600 are pledged.

“One pint of blood can save three people’s lives. But it only lasts 30 days so it’s vital the blood banks are kept topped up,” Stephen said.

As part of his job, he regularly attends the scenes of traffic accidents and violent assaults and, therefore, knows how important blood transfusion is in saving people’s lives.

“I’m pleading with people to come out of their comfort zones. I didn’t think it would happen to me (that my son would need transfusions). It would be fantastic if people made a new year’s resolution to become donors. They should look up the website giveblood.ie and make a donation at their nearest clinic quoting the name of the Garda Blood For Life Cycle,” he added.

The dozen garda cyclists, who will be joined by Chief Supt Michael Finn and Insp Finbarr O’Sullivan, will undertake the first leg of their journey from Malin Head to Sligo. Day two is from there to Gort and the final leg will be into Co Cork.

To raise further awareness on the drive for more blood donors, members of the traffic corps will hold roadshows at shopping centres in the coming weeks.

They will be in Wilton on Sat from midday to 3pm; Dungarvan on Jan 26 and Tralee on Feb 16.

Stephen said while the event was being organised by Cork gardaí they are hoping to get new donors from all over the country to sign up to the Garda Blood For Life Cycle.