Petrina Francis, Staff Reporter

In anticipation of an increase in motor vehicle accidents during the Christmas season, the Blood Bank is on a drive to get as much of the life-saving fluid for the festive season as possible.

"We are out of blood, we really need blood," said Dr. Veronica Taylor, medical doctor with the Blood Bank.

She is urging persons between the ages of 17 and 60 to donate.

Dr. Taylor explained that there is a shortage of blood types A-negative and B-negative, noting that the positive blood type is more common in the population.

Blood Bank estimates indicate that, for the service to adequately survive, it needs at least 30,000 units of blood and 10,000 regular (voluntary) blood donors yearly. However, only 10 per cent of local blood donations come from voluntary donations. The remaining 90 per cent comes from replacement donors.

Not painful

But giving blood is not as horrible or as painful as some people think. Yesterday, the Rotary Club of Kingston organised a blood drive and this reporter participated.

Step one included registration, then my finger was pricked to determine my blood group and iron level. After that it was time to get my blood pressure checked and a brief interview was conducted to get information on my medical history.

I was then sent into another room to have my blood withdrawn. That process involved the nurse inserting a needle into my left hand. The prick was a little uncomfortable but not as painful as I thought it would have been. A little less than a pint of blood was taken from me and I felt proud to have contributed and to possibly save someone's life.