Blood service rewards pair’s commitment

1:40pm Sunday 7th September 2008

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Two blood donors have been rewarded after reaching milestones.

Mark Isherwood and Patricia Carroll, right, have been presented with awards by the National Blood Service.

Mark, 48, a food production manager at Airedale Hospital, has been giving blood for more than three decades and has now made 100 donations.

He has first hand experience of the importance of the service. In 2006 his daughter, Robyn, was involved in a serious car crash, in which her boyfriend died. She was taken by air ambulance to a Middlesbrough hospital and needed 30 units of blood.

Patricia, 61, from Haworth, gave her first donation of blood more than 43 years ago and has notched up 75 donations.

Having spent most of her working life in hospitals, the retired biomedical scientist realised the need for blood.

Sheena Simpson, regional communications officer for the National Blood Service, said: “Both Mark and Patricia have reached an amazing milestone. With only 4 per cent of the population coming forward to give blood, donors like this are very important to us. Their great commitment has helped to save hundreds of lives.”

For information about becoming a donor visit blood.co.uk or ring 0845 7 711 711.