Giving blood for NHS at 70

23 October 2018

Students and staff came together to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the National Health Service in College Communion last week, sharing stories about the importance of giving blood.

The celebrations on the feast day of St Luke (the doctor) were led by our Chaplain, The Rev. Mia Smith, who herself spent several years as an NHS nurse. Mia shared a moving story of her training on a haematology ward, where a lack of blood meant that a patient was unable to be discharged to see her husband in the short period of his military leave.

Human Sciences student Kez Chappell-Smith (pictured with Mia below) also shared her experiences. Kez, who is one of our JCR Welfare Reps, first donated blood in her hometown in South Wales, and urged those at the service to follow suit. She talked of how well she was looked after by the NHS and highlighted the amazing power of giving blood – a single donation can help to save the lives of three people. After the service, Kez and Mia encouraged everyone to register their interest in blood donation. With the names collected on the night, we have already committed to saving 30 lives, which may otherwise be lost due to a shortage of blood supplies.

The NHS was established by the post-war British government in 1948 to provide comprehensive healthcare for all, free at the point of use. Giving blood is just one way you can help to celebrate 70 years of universal healthcare and the NHS70 campaign urges those between the ages of 17 and 65 to participate. Always in high demand, the NHS requires over 6,000 blood donations every day to treat patients in England alone. That means 200,000 new donors are needed every year, so if you can help visit the Give Blood website to find out more.

If you’re a member of Hertford College and would like to join a group to give blood together, get in touch with Mia.