Celebrities including comedienne Elva Ruddock and Miss Jamaica World 2006, Sara Lawrence, have joined the Bank of Nova Scotia in donating blood to save the lives of many Jamaicans who are in need.

The Scotiabank Group has announced that it will be taking on the challenge of working with the Blood Bank to organise one of the largest blood drives the island has seen. The drive will be held from April 20 to 24.

Ruddock and Lawrence are among 22 icons who have either committed to donate blood or have endorsed the event.

"I normally give blood all the time, I even have my (donor) card," Ruddock told The Gleaner yesterday.

Assisting

Ruddock said she donates blood because she gets a "free blood test" plus she likes the idea of assisting her fellow Jamaicans.

"I would hate to be in hospital and can't get blood." I don't really give people on the road my money but at least I can give them some of my blood," said Ruddock.

Lawrence said that giving blood was necessary for the thousands of Jamaicans who were in need of the life-saving fluid.

"I am pursuing medicine and so I have up close and personal (knowledge) about the importance of blood when it comes on to surgery," Lawrence said.

"It doesn't take a lot out of you and if you can give such a minimal amount to save a life, then that is just great," she said.

The two celebrities have urged others to join them in the cause.

Joylene Griffiths-Irving, director of public, corporate and government affairs at Scotiabank, said the financial institution was targeting at least 500 units of blood over the five days.

Heart surgeries

Scotiabank will be donating the first set, 120 units of blood, to 20 children aged one to 11 years old doing heart surgeries at the Bustamante Hospital for Children. The remainder will go towards the Blood Bank to meet its ongoing needs.

Griffiths-Irving said the bank decided to embark on the initiative because it was aware of the Blood Bank's need. She also noted that Scotiabank Volunteers, a group of about 700 persons, wanted a project that would assist in fulfilling the needs of the society.

Blood Bank estimates indicate that for the service to adequately survive, it needs at least 30,000 units of blood and 10,000 regular (voluntary) blood donors yearly.

However, only 10 per cent of local blood donations come from voluntary donations. The remaining 90 per cent comes from replacement donors.

petrina.francis@gleanerjm.com

Locations for Blood Drive

Monday

ScotiaCentre - downtown Kingston

Tuesday

Montego Bay Community College -

Sam Sharpe Square Scotiabank branch

Wednesday

Northern Caribbean University - Mandeville, Manchester

Thursday

Scotiabank Santa Cruz branch - St Elizabeth

Friday

Scotiabank Sports Club

- Liguanea