Donor Recognition Ceremony.

I went to a donor awards ceremony today. It was at the village hotel in Hyde. It was for donors who had donated 100 times or more. There were obviously no ceremonies during covid so some donors had reached up to 110 donations. There were also platelet donors who had got up to 450 donations. It was quite wonderful to hear the statistics….Jill had worked out exactly how many units had been donated by all the people in the room and it was staggering….things like that restore your faith in humanity.

The was a recipient who gave a talk. She was a mother of a toddler and a new baby when she found out she had leukaemia. Over the last few years she had received countless numbers of platelet and red cell transfusions and thankfully she is now well. Her story was so inspiring and there were a few people dabbing eyes, but it was when her four year old daughter took the microphone and said, “Thank you for saving my mummy,” that I welled up. We all know why we donate, but when faced with someone who is alive with the help of blood or blood products it makes it all the more real. It was extremely moving.

We had a lovely lunch and I had a great bunch of people on my table. Staff who were there each hosted a table. It was a very inspiring and moving recognition of amazing people.

When it was over I raced off to Ashton to work. It was a much longer day, but very enjoyable.