THE South African National Blood Service (SANBS) has struck gold with its adopt-a-month project, which saw them visiting East London primary schools and motivating pupils to encourage their parents to donate blood.
SANBS public relations officer in the East London region, Rene Vice, said the adopt-a-month project involved pre- and primary school pupils being educated about the importance of donating blood.
“There is a presentation based on the three bloodsceteers and we explain the roles of these three main blood components,” she said.
Vice said pupils encouraged their parents to donate blood on their behalf, as they were stil too young to do so themselves.
She said donors donated their blood at the Berea and Beacon Bay donor centres during the month adopted by the school.
She also said the adopt-a-month project helped increase the centres’ donor data base as many new and lapsed donors took part.
Vice said each school then set a blood unit target for their chosen month and the class in which the most pupils participated received a cash prize and all pupils at the school who brought in blood donors received a SANBS gift.
“Stirling Primary School, who brought in 125 units of blood during the project in 2012, surpassed their results this year, by collecting 11 units more in 2013 – the highest number of blood units collected ever since the inception of this project in East London,” she said.
Other schools that have taken part in the adopt-a-month project include Beaconhurst Primary, Abbotsford Christian School and Cambridge Primary.
Vice said currently Clarendon Preparatory and Selborne Primary Schools have both adopted May as their month. —
Pupils lead the way for blood donations
SANBS public relations officer in the East London region, Rene Vice, said the adopt-a-month project involved pre- and primary school pupils being educated about the importance of donating blood.
“There is a presentation based on the three bloodsceteers and we explain the roles of these three main blood components,” she said.
Vice said pupils encouraged their parents to donate blood on their behalf, as they were stil too young to do so themselves.
She said donors donated their blood at the Berea and Beacon Bay donor centres during the month adopted by the school.
She also said the adopt-a-month project helped increase the centres’ donor data base as many new and lapsed donors took part.
Vice said each school then set a blood unit target for their chosen month and the class in which the most pupils participated received a cash prize and all pupils at the school who brought in blood donors received a SANBS gift.
“Stirling Primary School, who brought in 125 units of blood during the project in 2012, surpassed their results this year, by collecting 11 units more in 2013 – the highest number of blood units collected ever since the inception of this project in East London,” she said.
Other schools that have taken part in the adopt-a-month project include Beaconhurst Primary, Abbotsford Christian School and Cambridge Primary.
Vice said currently Clarendon Preparatory and Selborne Primary Schools have both adopted May as their month. —
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