Donating runs in our blood…

For Steve Davis, volunteering is a family affair. After a childhood spent immersed in voluntary community service organisations, and seeing his dad donate blood, donating was a natural progression for the Associate Scouts leader. Donating is still a family affair – except now Steve, 56, donates plasma as often as he can alongside his own children – daughter Carina, 33, and Michael, 23.

Growing up, Steve’s parents and grandparents were all involved in community services including the Junior Chamber International organisation (Jaycees), and Lions. Steve himself now volunteers for Red Cross, Search and Rescue and Civil Defence. The desire to give back has always been firmly implanted in Steve’s life, and he now has over 250 whole blood and plasma donations under his belt. Carina and Michael also switched from whole blood donation to plasma donation in 2015.

Steve first heard about donating as a child; his Dad was an AB- blood type, and he would get calls from New Zealand Blood Service when there was a need for more whole blood. After Steve moved from his hometown of Nelson to Christchurch in 1982, he followed in his father’s footsteps as a blood donor, giving his first donation at the mobile unit at the old student union ballroom at Canterbury Uni.

“It was something I had always wanted to do. As an A+ blood type, my blood was always in high demand, so I decided to start donating 2-3 times per year”, says Steve, who still lives in Christchurch.

“After becoming self-employed in 2007, I changed from blood to plasma donations. I’d seen some information about plasma being more useful from those with my blood type. I can donate plasma every two or three weeks and being self-employed means I can be flexible with my time. Now I go as often as I can, the aim is always around 26 plasma donations a year, but sometimes I may not be able to donate because of travel. I’ve now donated plasma 215 times!

Plasma is the is the gold coloured component of blood that makes up just over half of our blood volume. It can be used to create various life-saving treatments, earning its name ‘liquid gold’. The invaluable component can be used to create lifesaving products for people suffering from autoimmune disorders.

Demand for plasma donations is rising at greater than 12% year on year.

While donating plasma takes around 90 minutes, the red blood cells and platelets are returned to the donor, meaning there’s less impact on the body and people can donate more frequently – every 2-3 weeks as opposed to once every 3 months for whole blood.

“I travel a lot, so I donate plasma now, as I can do it more frequently than whole blood. Of course, I’d donate blood again if it was needed, but I do try to give as often as I can”.

Carina and Michael have inherited Steve’s generous spirit. “They’ve grown up knowing I’m a donor, Michael started donating at mobile drives at school. Carina started donating at a mobile unit at the same UCSA Ballroom where I started! She has 50 plasma donations herself and has also donated platelets. Michael isn’t far behind, with 43 plasma donations. Everyone has busy lives so we can’t always get the timing right, but we try to donate together as a team on special occasions, like my 250th donation last December. Together we have donated plasma over 300 times”

The desire to keep giving has even infiltrated Steve’s wider family. “My wife used to give blood occasionally, my daughter’s partner has donated on occasion, my aunt even donated plasma and platelets for a while,” he says. “You could say it’s something that runs in our blood!”

Steve and his family try to spread awareness of their donating because they know how important blood and plasma donors are, “My daughter and son have both been through all youth sections of Scouts too. My daughter is currently a leader and my son a Rover. While in Rovers they were both involved in encouraging other Rovers to donate as a group. We really try to pass it forward as much as we can”.

To find out more about how you can donate Plasma/Blood, click here, or call 0800 GIVE BLOOD