Why Rosie donates

I started donating blood regularly on a bit of a whim - I had some time to kill and was near the Christchurch donation centre, so away I went. The staff there were so lovely that I had to come back, so I made it a regular thing. Eventually I learned that there were other ways to donate - first plasma, then platelets - and so during university holidays I made it my goal to donate as much as possible!

At one time I was matched to a patient in need of platelets, so had the privilege of making regular donations for that specific person. It remains one of my proudest achievements, donating knowing that each donation was making a difference for them.

I've been excited about hitting the 100 donations milestone for quite a while, and on Monday I finally did it at the Wellington donor centre, having moved to Wellington a few months ago. I was glad to discover that the staff here are just as great as they are in Christchurch, and donating remains something that I look forward to every fortnight. I'm sure my friends, family and colleagues are sick of hearing me talk about donating blood - but hopefully I've inspired some of them to get it a go along the way.

Having achieved the 100 donation milestone, I'll be taking a bit of a break so that I can get some tattoos. Of course one of my tattoos will have to be a blood droplet, to represent something that has become a big part of my life.

A big thank you to all the staff that I've gotten to know over the years - first in Christchurch, and now in Wellington. Looking forward to the next 100!