Why I became a blood donor is very simple.
I am one of many people who have a similar story for wanting to donate blood regularly. In 2010, I learnt very quickly why a plentiful and safe supply of blood to hospitals is critical to saving lives. In short, and as a result of a bleeding stomach ulcer caused by ibuprofen, my wife Susannah’s chances of surviving were turned around by a blood transfusion combined with the absolutely brilliant work of the doctors trying to stem the flow.
Experiencing first hand the reality of just how quickly a blood transfusion can save someone’s life, is probably the most enlightening and effective way of understanding the importance of blood donation, something almost any individual can do to help another human being survive in their hour of need.
From that moment, I became a regular blood donor, a participant in the Cambridge University Interval Study (studying the effect of more frequent donations), and intrigued by the psychology of helping people to come to the same decision as me - that giving blood is important, life-saving, fascinating, personally fulfilling and probably the easiest and one of the most constructive things any person can try to do to help our fellow inhabitants of planet earth!
Starting on World Blood Donation Day, June 14th 2019, with a friend and fellow pilot, Duncan Bickley, also a strong advocate of donating blood, we are flying around the coast of Great Britain whilst at the same time trying to raise the profile of the importance of donating blood.
As a result, I urge you to think about the unbelievable effect you personally can make to save up to 3 people each time you take the trouble to make a donation - let’s hope not, but you or I might even be reliant on a donor one day.
Each year in England alone, quite incredibly 200,000 new donors are needed to keep our country’s blood stocks at a safe level, for you, for me, for anyone who finds themselves in the unfortunate situation of needing blood to survive.
Please take that first step and do something really cool and amazing today, Pledge a Pint - you’ll be saving a life before you know it!
Thank you
Dan Mercer
