My blood donation journey started 28 years ago when a colleague was diagnosed with leukaemia. I was fortunate to be one of the rare few who could and managed to donate blood, and my experience was pain-free. It was during these visits and engaging with the nurses that I understood the huge impact that blood donation has on saving lives. Once you believe in the cause and are motivated to donate blood regularly, you will want to make it work.

As a frequent blood donor, I will take extra care to ensure I don’t do things that will jeopardise my blood donation. Being able to donate blood attests that your body is healthy. That’s not something that should be taken for granted. As a business owner, I feel that companies can also encourage their employees to give the gift of life by offering time off for colleagues who make blood donations.