Long-time donor Martin's story

I started giving blood in the UK in my early 20's, before I came out to NZ. Coming from a family of doctors and nurses, it seemed the right thing to do. I used to go with office colleagues. We were given iron pills afterwards, which left you with very dark coloured stools, so we preferred to top our iron up with a Guinness afterwards!

I vividly recall the morning of 28 February, 1975, when 43 people died and 74 were injured after a train failed to stop at the Northern line's southern terminus, Moorgate station, and crashed into its end wall. It is considered the worst peacetime accident on the London Underground. Almost as one, every blood donor in our office grabbed their coats and headed to the nearest Blood Bank (as we called it in those days). I think we had more than one Guinness that day.

After several years in NZ, we settled back in Christchurch, and I felt that I should give blood again. I was told that my blood was suitable for plasma donations, so I have been doing that for several years now. It's a real privilege to be able to help others in this way. The staff in Christchurch are so caring and appreciative. You're made to feel special. I always leave smiling.