With 649 plasma donors in Tauranga, the New Zealand Blood Service is thanking those who take time out of their busy schedules to donate their very own ‘liquid gold'.

The team at the Tauranga Blood Donor Centre have been blown away by the enthusiastic response from the recent Heart of Gold campaign to recruit more plasma donors.

Plasma donor Malcolm George with nurse Angela. Photo: Tracy Hardy.

Over the past four months, 73 regular whole blood donors have become plasma donors in Tauranga alone.

'We are immensely grateful to our wonderful donors in Tauranga,” says Asuka Burge, New Zealand Blood Service marketing and communication national manager.

'As the demand for plasma increases, we want to say a special thank you to those who made the switch to donating plasma.

'While donating plasma takes a bit longer in the donation chair than donating whole blood, it is such a vital gift.

'Not only does it improve the quality of life for thousands of Kiwis, including cancer patients, burn victims and people with blood disorders and immune deficiencies, it also, quite simply, saves lives.”

More plasma is needed

As well as fresh frozen plasma to help trauma patients, plasma is also used to create over 13 different life-saving products.

These products can help strengthen the immune system and assist in blood clotting.

As doctors find more and more uses for this liquid gold, the demand for plasma continues to increase at a rate of over 13 per cent per year.

In fact, NZBS needs to collect over 67 plasma donations in Tauranga every week to meet demand.

'Our first Hearts of Gold campaign was very successful,” says Asuka, 'but the reality is that New Zealand Blood Service still needs another 166 plasma donors from Tauranga, which is why we are re-launching the campaign to find more donors with a heart of gold.”

How you can help?

If you're a whole blood donor, and are considering switching to plasma donation, you need to be 18-60 years old, meet certain height and weight requirements and ave suitable veins and haemoglobin levels.

You also need to have donated whole blood at least once in the last two years and are required to meet donor eligibility requirements listed in the donor questionnaire.

To find out more about becoming a plasma donor, visit: www.nzblood.co.nz or call: 0800 GIVE BLOOD.