Irish Examiner view: One of the greatest gifts is a blood transfusion

It need hardly be stated that the Irish Blood Transfusion Service deserves all the support it can get

Viewed in its entirety, the blood transfusion service has the power to reinstate one’s faith in humanity, when one considers that citizens go out of their way every day to donate their blood so that others can live.

Civic responsibility takes many forms in our society, though in truth it can seem a demand too many for some. Interacting with people whose actions show a blithe aversion to the concepts of citizenship and community can be disheartening, but thankfully these people are in the minority.

The overwhelming majority of people acknowledge with their words and actions that they are members of an inter-dependent society and do their best to help each other. This is particularly true when considering the work of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS) — or its business model, for want of a better term.

The IBTS relies on voluntary contributions from people — donations of their life’s blood, literally, offered when those people get the time to do so. Viewed in its entirety, the blood transfusion service has the power to reinstate one’s faith in humanity, when one considers that citizens go out of their way every day to donate their blood so that others can live.

Accordingly, when the IBTS flags a need for more blood then that needs to be taken very seriously. Recent reports show there is a need for more donations as hospitals are advised to be conservative in their use of blood.

We URGENTLY ask donors from blood groups O- A- B- & A+ to make an Appt this week. Demand from our Hospitals is 5% above pre COVID19 levels resulting in the supply of these groups becoming critical. Check your eligibility here. https://t.co/Z2xIgnByQo. #WeCountOnYou #Thankyou ❤ pic.twitter.com/uvl2Lxqol1

— Giveblood (@Giveblood_ie) October 3, 2022

It’s worth noting that the shortage is believed to have arisen because of an increase in demand of just 5% above pre-pandemic levels, a pointed indication of just how easy it is to put the supply line under pressure.

It need hardly be stated that the IBTS deserves all the support it can get. Any reader who has ever had to visit the accident and emergency unit of a major hospital will immediately recognise the fundamental importance of the blood supply.

There is very little any reader could do today which would make more of a difference to another person’s life than donating blood.