Debra: laughter and awesome people

Why did someone obsessed with animals decide to volunteer with… people? Debra laughs as she explains that ‘my friends and family were worried my whole house would be filled with animals!’

Laughter is something you experience a lot of when you meet Debra, a New Zealand Blood Service volunteer with a fantastic sense of humour.

The plates of biscuits she puts together for lifesavers are ‘party plates’, the letters she folds into envelopes become ‘origami’.

Three years after signing up Debra is a familiar friendly face for blood donors at the Hamilton Donor Centre, volunteering regularly on Monday mornings. Debra cares about the donors, saying that the ‘people who come in are awesome’, one reason why she loves volunteering with the Blood Service. She is adept at putting people at ease and enjoys interacting with different people.

Now experienced at spotting the signs, Debra says she can ‘spot a fainter coming a mile off’, and is at the ready with water and biscuits. For those in a rush, who don’t want to wait around and hydrate after donating, she jokes ‘I’ve mixed it 50/50 vodka and water!’ with a twinkle in her eye.

Debra enjoys volunteering at the Hamilton Donor Centre and has nothing but praise for the nurses, along with the ‘people you don’t see’, working behind the scenes to ensure a safe blood supply for New Zealand. ‘How do you get so many good people in one place?’ she wonders.

If you like laughter and awesome people, why not join New Zealand Blood Service as a volunteer?

To apply, visit this page:
http://www.nzblood.co.nz/give-blood/volunteers/how-do-i-become-a-volunteer/