Meet blood donor Harry Dingwall |13 June 2020
Mr Dingwall during one of his numerous blood donation sessions (Photo source: Harry Dingwall)
103 pints of blood over three decades
Donating blood is now part of Harry Dingwall’s life as he started it almost three decades ago – in 1991.
“Thinking of all the sick people every day who need a blood transfusion and it's not always easy to find someone for donation, so I told myself that I had to make that step and start giving blood, until now I'm still giving blood every three months at the blood transfusion unit,” Mr Dingwall told Seychelles NATION yesterday.
He added that it feels so good inside to know that he is saving someone’s life even if he doesn’t know who that someone is.
For his continuous donation of blood, Mr Dingwall was rewarded in 2017 on World Blood Donor Day by the then Ministry of Health where he received special mention and tokens of appreciation for having donated 95 pints of blood. He noted that it makes him feel good to know that the ministry appreciates his effort and contribution.
Every three months, Mr Dingwall donates one pint of blood and over the course of 29 years that has totaled up to 103 pints of blood.
“I will advise anyone who is in good health to make an effort and give blood, you never know when it will be your turn to receive it or maybe a member of your family,” Mr Dingwall noted.
He continued by saying that all Seychellois should feel that it is their responsibility to give blood, as a nation we should all give a hand, engage our communities, our families, work colleagues to come forward to donate blood. Let us become a nation committed to voluntary unpaid blood donation.
“Giving blood is the love you give to someone without condition and I give it for free,” concluded the 61-year-old who is due for his next visit to the blood transfusion centre to give his 104th pint.
Among the rules to be eligible to give blood, donors must be fit and healthy, must not have travelled overseas three months prior, must not be following any medical treatment, and must wait until one year after getting a tattoo.
Christophe Zialor