It’s not just students descending on Otago’s Ori-Week
this year.
There are rumors of vampire sightings
across the campus with reports of mirrors being mysteriously
covered and strange nocturnal happenings. However, students
and faculty can rest assured they don’t need to rush for
the garlic… these aren’t your average Twilight vamps
(but they do want your blood).
These creatures of the
night are in town with the team from New Zealand Blood
Service (NZBS) as it joins the Scarfies at Otago
University’s Ori-Week as part of a four-week campaign to
encourage more students to join the donor registry and
donate blood.
NZBS National Marketing and
Communications Manager Asuka Burge says they’re really
excited to be heading down to the Dunedin
Ori-Week.
“We’re trying to have a little fun and
encourage students to take some social action by becoming a
blood donor. It’s ridiculously easy to donate blood and
every donation has the potential to save up to three
lives.
“We’re here to tell Otago Uni students – we
don’t want your blood, sweat and tears, we just want your
blood! We’re super excited to be at Ori-Week and meet our
next generation of donors.”
New Zealand Blood
Service has 4015 donors in the Otago region and needs to
collect 264 donations each week to keep up with demand for
blood and blood products.
For recent Otago University
graduate and keen skier Isaac West, a trip to the snow went
sour, leaving him close to losing a limb and needing 10
units of blood to stay alive.
“I think like all
recipients’ stories, my story is a great example that anyone
could need blood at any time and at any age. I used to think
I was bulletproof but it’s fair to say you don’t get to
choose the cards you’re dealt, and who knows what could
happen.”
After recovering from his accident, Isaac
wanted to do something for those who’d selflessly gifted
him his life back and started his own group of vampires and
encouraged friends, classmates and teammates to roll up
their sleeves and band together to donate
blood.
Isaac’s team of lifesavers now has 71
members, who collectively have given 99 blood donations and
95 plasma donations, saving nearly 400 lives so
far.
“Donating blood and plasma is a super easy way
for students to give back to their community, an hour of
your time genuinely save lives – I’m living prove of
that. And it’s a pretty cool feeling when you get that
notification from the NZ Blood Donor app saying you’ve
saved a life.
“Without access to blood after my
accident and during the multiple surgeries there’s no
chance I would’ve been able to graduate or even still be
here today, so this was my way of saying thanks to the
generous strangers who donated blood.”
NZBS will be
hosting a mobile blood drive at the Otago University campus
from Tuesday February 28 until Thursday March 2. Anyone who
can’t attend can visit its dedicated donor centre on
Crawford St.
For more information on donating blood or
to book an appointment to donate, either download the NZ
Blood Service Donor App, visit www.nzblood.co.nz or
call 0800 448 325.
About New Zealand Blood
Service:
New Zealand Blood Service in a
not-for-profit Crown entity responsible for the collection,
processing, testing and storage and distribution of all
blood and blood products in New Zealand.
We rely on
voluntary and non-remunerated blood donations from
individuals around the country in order to provide a
constant supply of precious blood and blood products used by
our health services to save thousands of lives.
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