Bradford blood donor Andrew Bower's 40 years of donating (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

Andrew rewarded for long service to blood donation service

8:40am Thursday 2nd June 2011 in Health News By Claire Lomax

A caring donor from Bradford is celebrating 40 years of saving lives, by regularly donating his blood and platelets.

Andrew Bower, 58, celebrated 40 years to-the-day of his first blood donation, by making his 309th blood donation at the blood donor centre, in Rawson Road, Bradford, where staff presented him with a crystal decanter.

Andrew started out as a whole blood donor before moving onto platelet donation. Fewer people are a suitable match for platelet donation than whole blood donation.

Andrew said: “I enjoyed donating my blood, as I got a real sense of achievement from knowing that I had potentially saved someone’s life.

“When the idea of blood platelet donation was put forward, it felt like the natural thing to do as I knew blood platelet donors were always needed.”

The demand for platelets has risen in the last few years and Andrew forms part of a vital group of people who are able to donate their platelets.

Anyone aged over 17, weighing more than 50 kg (seven stone 12 lbs) and in general good health could potentially start saving lives by becoming a blood donor. They could also be suitable for platelet donation.

For details of sessions or to book an appointment call 0300 123 23 23 or visit: blood.co.uk.

• Read the full story in Thursday's T&A