Carrigaline resident Aidan Hurley recently make his 125th blood donation, continuing a family tradition which has now been passed down to the third generation of the Hurley family.
Speaking to The Carrigdhoun Newspaper, Aidan, who works for Allied Irish Bank and has worked in Carrigaline, Douglas and Passage West branches, said that he has been donating blood since he was 18 years old. His father Con, who recently passed away at the age of 97, was deeply committed to the principle of blood donation and as a child he remembers accompanying his father around his home town of Youghal putting up posters advertising local blood donor clinics.
Donating blood is one of the most common ways people choose to give back to their communities, and the demand for blood in hospitals is always high. Despite the high demand and the general recognition of its importance, only about a quarter of the people who are able to donate blood do.
When Aidan, who is married to Finola, made his 125th donation recently at the Clinic in St. Finbarr’s Hospital, he was accompanied by his two sons Fiachara (24) and Diarmuid (18), who are also blood donors, as is their 21-year-old sister Ríonach.
Aidan says that people are not aware of just how important blood donations can be. Approximately one of every seven people admitted to hospital need blood. Many different people experiencing a large range of conditions require blood provided through donation.
Aidan would encourage everyone to consider blood donation and says that donating blood is easy, and (mostly) painless and risk-free. Many say blood donation hurts less than an injection.
So why else give up a pint of the good stuff? Blood is something we can easily spare because the body continuously replenishes it. The average adult has between 10 and 12 pints (or five liters) of blood continuously cycling through their body. Each blood cell is broken down and replaced every 120 days on average. Huge amounts are needed in hospitals daily, so this short lifespan means blood is always needed and needs to be donated regularly.
If you are considering blood donation – and please bear in mind that even though donations are needed throughout the year, demand at Christmas time can be particularly high – you can contact the Blood Transfusion Service at St. Finbarr’s Hospital, Douglas Road, Cork. Tel: 4807400.
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