Blood champion!

BAREND du Plessis (63) has just given his 200th blood donation.

Only three other people have reached this milestone in Namibia since 1991. Du Plessis started donating blood when he lived in a youth centre in Durban, South Africa.The local blood-transfusion service visited the centre to recruit new donors, and Du Plessis’s roommate persuaded him to join.”I was terrified of needles and a nervous wreck, but once I gave my first pint I realised that it was not that bad and I have never looked back since,” he says.He has maintained a healthy lifestyle ever since to ensure that he can donate blood regularly four times a year.Donated blood is used to make blood products like plasma, platelet and red cell concentrate.Each year the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia issues about 20 000 units of blood to doctors and hospitals.The service has more than 10 000 regular donors.The three top donors in Namibia – Du Plessis (200 units), Klaus Spethmann (177 units), Jan Kritzinger (151 units) and Dominee Johan Serfontein (155 units) – have collectively donated 683 units of blood which were used save the lives of 2 045 people.The Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia is urging all regular donors to donate blood before going on holiday so that there will be enough blood for the festive season.Blood clinics will be held at the coast from December 18 to 29 and from January 8.Du Plessis started donating blood when he lived in a youth centre in Durban, South Africa.The local blood-transfusion service visited the centre to recruit new donors, and Du Plessis’s roommate persuaded him to join.”I was terrified of needles and a nervous wreck, but once I gave my first pint I realised that it was not that bad and I have never looked back since,” he says.He has maintained a healthy lifestyle ever since to ensure that he can donate blood regularly four times a year.Donated blood is used to make blood products like plasma, platelet and red cell concentrate.Each year the Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia issues about 20 000 units of blood to doctors and hospitals.The service has more than 10 000 regular donors.The three top donors in Namibia – Du Plessis (200 units), Klaus Spethmann (177 units), Jan Kritzinger (151 units) and Dominee Johan Serfontein (155 units) – have collectively donated 683 units of blood which were used save the lives of 2 045 people.The Blood Transfusion Service of Namibia is urging all regular donors to donate blood before going on holiday so that there will be enough blood for the festive season.Blood clinics will be held at the coast from December 18 to 29 and from January 8.