As a youngster I used to go with my Dad, on an occasional Saturday morning, when he went to give blood at a local school. I used to enjoy my orange juice and biscuit while he had a quick kip!
So, when I was 18, I was going to follow my Dad's example. BUT, at 18 I was in a serious accident and ended up requiring major surgery and a number of blood transfusions.
Once I was able to I, somewhat belatedly, started to 'give blood'. But I felt I was now in debt and trying to catch-up, as opposed to just giving. This was not a competition with my Dad, I just felt that it was a great thing to do to save a life, following his example.
Last year, after 25 donations (would have been many more if their system had listened to me when I moved home, instead of trying to get me to donate where I used to live) I was told, with thousands of other regular donors, that they could no longer accept my blood due to the 'possible' exposure to BSE through transfusions after 1992.
Damn shame - I'm no saint - but this was a relatively easy way (I don't like needles at all - but it ain't for long) to REALLY help someone.
There's loads of blood still in me!
