BLOOD BUZZ WPBTS celebrates 80 remarkable years in this special birthday edition - Western Cape Blood Service
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BLOOD BUZZ
OCTOBER 2018 | SPECIAL EDITION
WPBTS celebrates
80 remarkable
years in this
special birthday
edition.
PR OD U CT I ON T EA M
EDITOR IN CHIEF /
PRODUCTION EDITOR
Michelle Vermeulen
WPBTS Corporate Public Relations Officer
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Irene van Schalkwyk
WPBTS Manager: Promotions, Planning and PR
ART DIRECTOR
Christoff van Wyk
WPBTS Graphic Design & Multimedia Officer
F R O M T HE E D I TOR
CON T R I B U TOR S
Happy Birthday! Melanie Rossouw
WPBTS Promotions Officer, Cape Town Region
Bongiwe Sipunzi
WPBTS Public Relations Promotions Officer
The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service has reached a remarkable Estellé Lecoq
milestone, 80 years! Thank you to our loyal blood donors who have been part WPBTS Promotions Officer, Cape Town Region
of this amazing journey, celebrating this remarkable achievement would not
Arlecia November
be possible without you. We look forward to the next 80 years. WPBTS Promotions Officer, George Region
This special edition of Blood Buzz is packed with stories from our donors
Candice Sinclair
who have reached their own milestones. We will be sharing the story of Bruce WPBTS Promotions Officer, Worcester Region
Walsh, a survivor of the Planet Hollywood bomb blast. We will also be taking
a trip down memory lane with one of our retired employees who was one of Jill Nicholas
WPBTS Promotions Officer, Paarl Region
the first staff employed in our laboratories.
On a personal note, it’s been a privilege to work on this amazing edition Pamella Ntseke
WPBTS Promotions Officer, Cape Town Region
and a heartfelt thanks to all the contributors for going the extra mile in
bringing our readers such interesting stories. Dr Caroline Hilton
WPBTS Transfusion Medical Specialist
Yours in blood donation Loyiso Botya
Michelle Vermeulen WPBTS Promotions Officer, Cape Town Region
Marike Gevers
WPBTS Education Officer
Irene van Schalkwyk
WPBTS Manager: Promotions, Planning and PR
Dr Gregory Bellairs
WPBTS CEO/Medical Director
2
A
Journey
of
Grace
On 25 August 1998, a bomb exploded at Planet Hollywood in
the V&A Waterfront. Two people lost their lives, both of them
colleagues of Bruce Walsh. Many more were seriously injured.
WPBTS sat down with Bruce, who shared his journey with us.
BY MELANIE ROSSOUW
When Bruce Walsh went out for a colleagues’ farewell dinner clinical psychologist, Linda Kantor, who helped him process the
at the themed restaurant Planet Hollywood at the Waterfront in trauma - not only from the explosion - but also from childhood
Cape Town on 25 August 1998, he never thought that it would be experiences that had shaped his life up to that point. Bruce has
a night that would change his life forever. “Two colleagues and also since resigned from his position as Head of the HR Department
I were busy ordering drinks and unbeknownst at Standard Bank and has chosen to devote
to us, we were standing directly over a pipe his life to helping others and giving hope and
“Don’t wait for a near-
bomb taped to the footrest of the bar, directly encouragement to many in need.
beneath our feet,” Bruce recalls. “When the death experience Blood donation has become an integral
explosion happened, it felt like a rocket and before you embrace part of his life and he donates regularly at
I remember the intense noise and pain as the your faith and God’s our Durbanville Residential clinic with close
impact flung my body to the ceiling and back to 35 units already given. “Don’t wait for a
to the floor where I lost consciousness.” will for your life. You near-death experience before you embrace
Bruce sustained serious injuries and received can journey through life your faith and God’s will for your life. You can
more than 40 units of blood at the hospital actively taking charge journey through life actively taking charge
before he was placed into an induced coma or passively as a victim. It’s your choice,”
for over a month. However, it was only after
or passively as a victim. he says.
waking up from the coma that he realised for It’s your choice.” “The WPBTS staff, nurses and receptionists
the first time that his legs had been amputated have been absolutely wonderful and always
from the knees down and reality started to sink in. “When I saw make me feel welcomed, especially when they see I am an
my legs stopped just below my knees, I just cried uncontrollably.” amputee,” he says. His inspiring message to WPBTS staff and
“My recovery was and still is, a journey of grace,” Bruce says. donors on our 80th Birthday is: “It is noble to be a staff member
“I told myself from the beginning that I’m going to get my life and a donor of WPBTS because jointly you save lives. I was one of
back, no matter what it takes.” He started his rehabilitation those saved by your efforts and as a result I am eternally grateful
process with prosthetic legs, physiotherapy and a magnificent and forever thankful.”
3
DONOR HEROES
BY BONGIWE SIPUNZI
WILLEM CLASSENS GREGORY JOUBERT ALEX PAULSEN
Number of donations: 104 Number of donations: 5 Number of donations: 15
Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood?
“I started donating as a platelet “There are so many people that “I was asked by a friend to
donor then I became a regular are in need of our help, and if we come donate and I have never
donor, the reason why I donate can’t commit to donating blood stopped since then.”
is to save lives.” their lives will not be saved.”
Message to potential donors:
Message to potential donors: Message to potential donors: “Help someone, today it might
“There is nothing to be scared of, “Think of yourself or a family be a stranger, one day it could
just make a decision to save lives.” member that might need blood, be you or a friend.”
it only takes 30 minutes or
Birthday message to WPBTS: less to donate.” Birthday message to WPBTS:
“Thank you for the great service “Happy birthday and all the
to the community. This is a very best for the good work.”
important cause in our lives. Happy
birthday and God bless!”
CASSIEM LIPPERT CARIN PAUW
Number of donations: 117 Number of donations: 11
Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood?
“I donate to save lives.” “I started donating in high school,
I love supporting a good cause.”
Message to potential donors:
“I think people should try and Message to potential donors:
get over the fear of needles “Do it! It’s the right thing to do.”
and come and donate blood.”
4
IMRAN ABDURAHMAN VANESSA JONES MARLON FEBRUARY
Number of donations: 4 Number of donations: 5 Number of donations: 43
Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood?
“I witnessed a case where a child needed “I don’t want anyone to lose a “I want to be amongst the many
blood for a bone marrow transplant but life where I could have helped.” who save lives.”
because there was not enough he lost his
life. So since then I’ve tried to make an Message to potential donors: Message to potential donors:
effort to donate blood.” “Be a hero and save 3 lives.” “Bring a friend along, when it’s a
pair, six lives can be saved.”
Message to potential donors: Birthday message to WPBTS:
“There is absolutely nothing to be scared “You guys do a wonderful job, I Birthday message to WPBTS:
of. The youth need to start donating for appreciate that you come to us. “Thank you to the staff for their
the future of their own children. It is Happy birthday WPBTS.” dedication and work ethic.
very important to have an understanding Happy birthday.”
of the bigger picture. I say give it a try!”
Birthday message to WPBTS:
“WPBTS has contributed tremendously to
the lives of others. Happy birthday and
thank you for everything.”
MANDISA GOBENI MARIETA LE ROUX
Number of donations: 1 Number of donations: 20
Why do you donate blood? Why do you donate blood?
“Because I want to help other “I like it, and I believe it makes
people. Perhaps one day I will a difference.”
need blood as well.”
Message to potential donors:
Message to potential donors: “It’s only a few minutes of your time
“Donating blood is a good deed.” and you can save many lives.”
5
A staff member’s
journey with WPBTS
BY MICHELLE VERMEULEN
From the first laboratory staff, to pioneering
blood transfusion, to racial and gender equality,
Pietro de Benedictis shares his journey.
6
Meeting
Dorothea
Top: The first lab staff employed at WPBTS in 1960. Pietro
Mynhardt:
a remarkable donor
is on the far right. Bottom: Pietro reminiscing with former
colleague Bev Mitchell, whom he employed in 1973.
Pietro de Benedictis joined WPBTS in 1960 as part of
the Service’s first laboratory staff complement situated
aged 80 years
in the Broadway building in Cape Town. Prior to the
laboratory being established, testing was performed by
State Health laboratories. BY ESTELLÉ LECOQ
In 1967 Pietro relocated to George to establish the
regional office and stayed there for two years before
returning to Cape Town. The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service had the honour
Upon his return he formed part of a pioneering team to meet 80-year old Mrs Dorothea Mynhardt.
who took total control of the blood donation process Mrs Mynhardt started donating blood in 1971 at a small clinic,
from the donor’s arm to the patient’s arm. A vein Caltex Refinery. She has donated 178 units of blood thus far. She
to vein service is still uncommon world-wide. Tests shared stories of her blood donation journey with us.
initially introduced were grouping, antibody screening Mrs Mynhardt overheard her husband speaking to a friend,
and syphilis as well as cross matching donor units with saying that she will never donate blood because of her fear of
the patient’s blood. Testing was performed using tube needles. Her fear of needles was so severe that she would faint
technology. just looking at any needle. She then decided to take the challenge
Deben, as he is fondly known by staff, says that to prove that she can do it. From her very first blood donation,
another first in South Africa and controversial during the she would lie flat on her back, close her eyes to ensure that she
early 70’s was the introduction of plastic blood bags. would not see anyone with needles until the whole blood donation
In the late 70’s Deben introduced the first analyser for process was over. This she did for five years. It was a joy for her
automated blood grouping and was sent for training to to donate blood since she could now join her husband who was
Bristol in England. already a blood donor. She recalls a memory of when her son and
As a result of his passion for education he established his friend witnessed an accident on their street. Her son came
a training laboratory for students at WPBTS. His passion running to her, asking her to donate blood immediately as the
and pioneering spirit naturally progressed to fight for injured person was losing a lot of blood.
gender and racial equality. He fought relentlessly for Her children used to look out for the postcard that would remind
equal pay for all in the same job, pension fund for them of their next donation date. This was a great motivation for
women and a suitable maternity leave policy. the family to go out and donate blood. She donated blood at the
Although Deben retired at the age of 66, he kept Caltex Refinery clinic until 1998 before moving to the Milnerton
lecturing up to the age of 76. Deben is also celebrating Library clinic.
his 80th birthday with WPBTS this year. His message to At the age of 80, Mrs Mynhardt is still an avid blood donor who
staff and donors are “Carry on, because you are doing a donates blood at N1 City Mall. She is grateful that she is still
good job”. healthy and strong enough to be able to donate blood. She says,
Happy birthday Deben from all of us at WPBTS. We “After every donation I feel so good, knowing that I have done
wish you all the best with this remarkable milestone. something great in helping save lives.”
7
REGIONAL NEWS
Top: Alba loves unicorns and was surprised by
Salt & Light Photography with this fun photoshoot.
Middle: Alba's mother, Esther donating blood at a
WPBTS clinic in Mossel Bay. Bottom: Alba visiting
the hospital for a lumbar puncture.
Alba the Brave
BY ARLECIA NOVEMBER
5-Year-old Alba Overbeeke was diagnosed with Acute Lympho-
blastic Leukemia on 28 December 2017.
Esther Overbeeke (Alba’s mom) describes Alba as a very spirited
little girl and a big fighter. She has been kicking cancer to the kerb
from the start and is also known as ‘Alba the Brave’ to people all
over the world. Alba still has 18 more months of chemo treatments
left, but her recovery is looking very positive.
Alba has required many blood and platelet transfusions over
the last eight months to help combat the effects of the chemo
treatments. Esther says on this journey they have met many
other children at Red Cross Children’s Hospital in Cape Town, who
regularly require blood transfusions. “Without these transfusions,
the outlook for most of these paediatric cancer patients is bleak,”
she says.
When Esther heard that the Service is experiencing a shortage
of blood, she immediately called the George branch to organise a
blood drive at the NSRI in Mossel Bay in June.
A big thank you to Esther, the NSRI and everyone involved that
made this clinic a huge success.
Message from Esther: “Please donate regularly and keep
the blood banks topped up, so brave little cancer fighters like
Alba can keep on fighting.” You can follow Alba’s story on:
www.facebook.com/AlbatheBraveUpdates.
8
Curves – Strengthening
blood donors!
BY CANDICE SINCLAIR
In light of Women’s Month in August, Curves Worcester embarked
on an open day on 31 August 2018 by inviting all women to explore
their facilities. WPBTS had the privilege of attending the event
and to host a blood donation drive at Curves in the Quenets
Arcade in Worcester.
The support received was tremendous, as surrounding
businesses in the arcade came together to support our cause and
assist us in saving lives. The atmosphere was great and donors
were excited to donate blood.
After the donors were done saving lives, there were fresh
muffins and a warm cup of coffee available to all – in order to
Somerset West Donor
replenish blood sugar levels. At WPBTS we encourage donors to BY JILL NICHOLAS
sit down and enjoy their refreshments, as rehydrating aids in
increasing blood volume and blood pressure. Thus, ultimately
protecting the donor as YOU mean the world to us! Jacobus (Koos) van Dyk, one of our most loyal donors in Somerset
A huge thank you to Vanessa Knowles the owner of Curves and West, knows about celeb status; he has been in the local
also to Q-Square Spar for availing muffins to our donors for the newspaper twice whilst donating blood.
refreshment area. It is truly appreciated and we are looking Mr van Dyk, who has made his 201st donation, says that he grew
forward to upcoming partnerships in the Quenets Arcade. Thank up in a house where his father donated blood twice a year. There
you for being remarkable! was no clinic in this hometown so he had to travel to Gansbaai
(approximately 90km) for one donation and the 2nd donation he
would make during the December holidays.
During his service year in the military Mr van Dyk donated blood
twice after an accident, with the receiver on the other side of
the room divider.
In 1974 he donated blood at the university blood drive. As one
of the first donors, a photo was place in the Matieland newspaper.
In 1998, as a teacher at Strand High School, Mr van Dyk donated
his 100th unit. Since then Mr van Dyk has endeavoured to donate
every 8 weeks.
His two sons are regular blood donors and he knows that they
will continue the family tradition. During his 100th donation, Mr
van Dyk’s photo was published in the Daily Mail.
Algoa FM Bloodline Day
BY ARLECIA NOVEMBER
George branch once again joined forces with the South African
National Blood Service (SANBS), Algoa FM and Pick n Pay on Algoa
Bloodline day to prevent the anticipated national winter blood
shortage. Algoa FM Bloodline Day took place on 11 July and was
a huge success with regular updates on the blood drives. Donors
were treated with doughnuts on the day.
A target of 700 units was set for the day and a total of 694 units
were collected. The George branch collected a total of 53 units.
Thank you to all our donors who donated on this day.
9
OUR PROUD
HISTORY
The WP Blood Transfusion
The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service was Service was originally
established in October 1938 when the first meeting of the established in October 1938.
Cape Peninsula Blood Transfusion Service took place at
Groote Schuur Hospital. It was a slow start, with only 200 1938
donors enrolling in the first three months and an average
of 30 transfusions per month. In the 1930s, transfusion
practice was in its most basic phase of development.
Hospitals would request a donation and when a suitable
donor was found, they would report to the hospital.
There, blood would be transfused directly from the donor The Service acquired
its first mobile unit.
to the recipient with only a screen separating them – a far
cry from today’s procedures!
The Service was able to provide blood serum and whole
1949
blood to military hospitals for the duration of the Second
World War from 1939.
In 1942, the Service obtained its own building in
St. George’s Street where three donors could be
accommodated at a time. Back then, blood was collected
in Horlicks milk bottles. At that stage, blood was delivered
to government laboratories at Groote Schuur Hospital
for testing and cross-matching. These government
laboratories assisted the Service in developing suitable
storage techniques and serum processing.
By October 1943 the donor base had grown to 1 394
active donors providing blood for an average of 182
transfusions a month. When the Service got its first
mobile unit in 1949 it was able to start scouting for
donors throughout the province. The company name was
incorporated and changed to the Western Province Blood The Cell Separation Clinic
was opened and was the
Transfusion Service. In 1953 the Service moved its head first of its kind in Africa.
office to Commerce House.
The first blood bank technical staff were employed
in 1960. In the mid-1960s the Service transcended the
1975
Cape Peninsula’s borders and a branch was opened in
Worcester, followed shortly by Paarl, George and later
Upington. The increased demand for blood saw a second
mobile unit put into action. During this decade the head It was a great day for the Service
office moved its premises to Broadway Centre where 15 when WPBTS was closely involved
donors could be accommodated at a time. with the first human-to-human
heart transplant that took place
From there, the Western Province Blood Transfusion at Groote Schuur Hospital.
Service grew in strength and donor numbers.
By June 1961, over 50 000 donors had given blood 1967
and the mobile units had visited 352 external clinics.
During 1967 the Service moved again, to Medipark on the
Foreshore.
This expansion made it possible for the organisation
to provide a comprehensive service for the technical
aspects of blood transfusion. In addition donor grouping,
cross-matching, serological, biochemistry and plasma
aspirating laboratories were housed in the same building.
It was also home to the largest single-unit blood bank in
the country at the time.
A testing facility for
Things continued to improve, and the Service now HIV was set up.
employed 160 staff members, which allowed for the
collection and distribution of almost 7 000 units of blood
per month. It was a momentous day for the organisation
1985
when, in 1967, it was closely involved with the first heart
10The first blood bank was established
to provide blood serum and whole
blood to military hospitals for the transplant that took place at Groote Schuur Hospital.
duration of World War II. New technology in the early 70s dramatically improved
the Service’s capabilities. New, light-weight mobile
1939 equipment was a welcome introduction, allowing standard
vehicles to be used as mobile units. Glass bottles made
way for plastic containers for the collection of blood
in 1973. The new containers were better suited to the
separation of components such as platelets and fresh
frozen plasma. A new laboratory featuring a walk-in cold
room was also built. Hepatitis B testing was introduced
in 1974. Blood banks were opened at Conradie, Victoria,
Karl Bremmer and Somerset Hospitals.
In 1975 the Cell Separation clinic was opened, a first of
its kind in Africa.
The following year, the scientific division of the Service
was established and the first automated blood grouping
analyser was installed. In 1978 a bank for frozen red
blood cells was established. The Service then took over
responsibility for all the blood banking services at all
Provincial hospitals.
In 1980, a Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) and paternity
testing service was introduced, and in 1983 the quality
assurance department was established. A new laboratory
facility was set up in 1985 to facilitate testing blood for
HIV infection. The Service was accredited to the American
The Service obtained its own building Association of Blood Banks (AABB) in 1987. The following
in the Cape Town city centre (Atlas year – marking 50 years of existence – the Service opened
Building, St George's Street) where its fractionation plant at Beaconvale in Parow.
three donors could be accommodated
at a time. Back then, blood was In April 1990, the Service moved to its current head office
collected in Horlicks milk bottles. in Pinelands and the permanent donor centre was moved
to the Parkade Building in Cape Town. Further progress
1942 was made regarding technology and automation in the
field of blood grouping and viral testing. The permanent
donor centre moved to Long Street during 2005 and the
opening of another two blood donor centres followed – N1
City Mall in 2009 and Blue Route Mall in 2013. Towards the
end of 2005 the Service introduced the latest technology
to test donated blood – Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT). NAT
uses DNA technology to narrow the “window period” of
50 000 donors had given blood
and the mobile clinics had HIV infection. The WPBTS Memorandum of Incorporation
visited 352 different sites. replaced the Articles of Association in 2013. WPBTS also
started offering iron replacement tablets for donors at
1961 risk of iron deficiency.
In 2014 the donor acceptance criteria changed
regarding male-to-male sex (MSM).During 2016 electronic
cross-matching was introduced at all blood banks.
The blood component separation process was also
significantly improved. The WP Blood mobile application
was launched in 2017 and platelet additive solution (PAS)
was introduced.
The Western Province Blood Transfusion Service is proud
to have grown from a small community organisation into
one of the most technologically advanced blood services
in Africa. Today, the Service is widely respected for its
tireless efforts to supply sufficient, safe blood to patients
In April 1990, the Service
moved to its current head throughout the Western Cape.
office in Pinelands, Cape Town.
1990 2018
11The Origin of Blood
Transfusion
BY DR CAROLINE HILTON
The history of blood donation and transfusion follows
an interesting journey, from ancient Roman times when
people would drink the blood of slain gladiators in
attempt to acquire their strength, to blood products now
forming a vital cornerstone of medical treatment.
One of the milestones of this journey dates back to 1628 when transfused directly from one
the English physician, William Harvey, discovered that blood person to another until Adolf
circulated around the body. Many attempts were then made Hustin, in 1914, discovered
to infuse animal and human blood into people, but the first using sodium citrate as an
successful blood transfusion in a person only occurred in 1818. anticoagulant that would allow
Karl Landsteiner, whose birthday we celebrate on World Blood donated blood to be stored
Donor Day (14th June), was an Austrian physician who determined and transfused at a later time
that there were three different blood groups (A, B and O) in for soldiers on the warfront.
1900, and his colleagues would later discover a fourth blood This discovery resulted in the
group, AB, in 1902. The importance of blood group compatibility later establishment of blood
was then realised and the first cross-matching procedures were banks and the start of modern
initiated in the following decade. At this stage, blood was transfusion practices.
The appreciation of the
Below: Direct blood transfusion from a donor to a patient. complexity of donor testing
and cross-matching has
evolved significantly over
the past century, and there
is undoubtedly more exciting
development to happen.
The international blood services are regularly confronted with
the challenges of emergent infections, such as Ebola and Zika
that threaten the safety of our blood supply. One of the most
important landmarks in the South African blood transfusion
history was the implementation of nucleic acid amplification as a
method of testing for HIV and hepatitis viruses in our donor blood
supply in 2005, which has significantly enhanced the safety of our
blood supply.
But the blood services would be nowhere without the generous
and unwavering support of our remarkable donors who enable us
to provide this life-saving service.
12AGM 2018
BY PAMELLA NTSEKE
The 79th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Western Province
Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) was held on Thursday, 16
August 2018. Of the 375 Blood Donor Representatives registered,
27 attended with about 32 clinics represented, 5 board members
and some of the WPBTS staff members. Our sincere gratitude
goes to those representatives that joined us, those that sent
representatives and those that sent their proxy forms.
Blood Donor Representatives are individuals who graciously
help with blood donation clinic logistics within their facilities and
help ensure that the clinic runs successfully. They book space for
the clinic, help distribute advertising material, help with parking
arrangements, to name but a few. As donor representatives they
automatically become voting members of the WPBTS on behalf of
the donors they represent.
At this AGM the members voted on the following matters:
• Appointment of non-executive directors for 2018/2019
• Approval of the name change of the organisation from
WPBTS to Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS)
• Appointment of Ernst & Young Inc. as auditors for the
2018/2019 financial year
• Approval of remuneration of directors for 2018/2019
financial year
• The appointment of Honorary Members for 2018/2019
Requests to open new blood donation clinics may be forwarded to
info@wpbts.org.za
Top: Some of the attendees (from left to right): Mr Letsebela (CPUT
Bellville); Mrs Moos (Athlone), Mrs Abrahams (Spine Road High School),
Mrs Koopman (Green Cross), Mrs Hull (Belhar), Mr Patterson (Multimech,
Golden Arrow Bus Services) and Mrs Spies (Westridge). Middle: Gaylene
Gantana, Mrs Spies, Yolonda Moolman and Mrs Hull enjoying the social
before the AGM. Bottom: Bev Mitchell with Dr Arthur Bird.
WPBTS
is evolving to
WCBS
We are pleased to announce that at the AGM which was held on
Thursday 16 August, members voted in favour of the name change
from Western Province Blood Transfusion Service (WPBTS) to
Western Cape Blood Service (WCBS). This change will come into
effect from 1 January 2019 and will be rolled out over the course
of 2019.
13YOU T H
A Legacy of School
Blood Drives at WPBTS
BY LOYISO BOTYA
This year, WPBTS will celebrate its 80th birthday and one of the
areas we take pride in, is youth blood donation drives. We would
like to give special thanks to the top 3 long service educational
blood clinics.
At the top of the table with 34 years’ experience is The
University of Cape Town who started their first blood donation
clinic in 1984. At 2nd place with 32 years’ experience in blood
donation is Wynberg Boys High School, who opened their arms to
the WPBTS in 1986, while UCT Faculty of Health Science comes in
3rd with 29 years’ experience in hosting blood donation clinics at
their institution.
WPBTS would like to salute you for your efforts, thank you
for the warm welcome we have received at your schools and
institution over the years.
It’s been a remarkable journey and we could not have made it
this far without the support of all our youth donors who often go
on to become lifetime blood donors.
We have 124 educational institutions that host blood donation
clinics in the Western Cape, of which 96 of the educational
institutions are High Schools and 28 of them are Tertiary
Institutions.
We would like to thank you for being part of the WPBTS family
and wish to celebrate you as part of our 80th birthday.
14YO U T H
Open Day
at WPBTS
BY MARIKE GEVERS
On Wednesday 5 September 2018,
The Western Province Blood Transfusion
Service (WPBTS) welcomed new donor
representatives and some other guests at
their headquarters in Pinelands for their
Open Day.
The morning started with delicious
coffee and cakes and an introduction to
the Service by Marike Gevers, Education
Officer from WPBTS. Thereafter the guests
went on an educational tour of the facilities
where they could see the specialised
donation centre, testing laboratories, and
the processing laboratories.
Melvin Beukes, a Business Development
Account Executive from SABC said that it
was very informative and educational. If
he had to summarize the day in one phrase
he would say “be a hero and help to save much effort to make you feel welcome with informative and something I would love
someone’s life”. gifts and lovely treats, the presentation to do again, as you just can’t absorb
Amorette Herselman, Donor Represen- was very interesting and a good forum to everything. Thank you so much for the
tative for the Curofund Blood Donation ask the questions you always wanted to invitation and making me feel part of the
clinic said: “Besides WPBTS going to so ask. The tour of the facilities was very WPBTS family!”
Are you matriculating this year?
The blood donation clinic in the third term is most likely
the last time a lot of our matriculants are able to donate
blood at their respective blood donation clinics as of next
term they write their final exams and then they finish
with school.
In an effort to retain our matrics as valuable blood
donors after they leave school it is essential for us to
update their contact details and preferred place of
donation.
Stay in touch!
They can update their details in the following ways:
Remember to 1.
2.
SMS ‘matric’ to 33507 and we’ll call them back.
Online on our website at:
update your details www.wpblood.org.za/contact/update-your-details
Update the preferred area or region.
3. Or on the back of the donor questionnaire.
Matrics, please update your details, stay in contact and
good luck with your final exams!
15INTERNATIONAL NEWS
BY IRENE VAN SCHALKWYK
UK | JUNE 2018
Ad agency
ridicules blood
donation
restrictions
McCann London created a campaign for
the Peter Tatchell Foundation that attacks
rules preventing sexually active gay men
from donating blood. The advertising
agency posted a security guard-type
character outside the West End Donor
Centre in London with a "gay detector"
– the Gaydr device, which appeared to
consist of a toy space gun with an iPhone
strapped to the top. This was used to
scan men on their way into the centre
to determine their level of "gayness". A
hidden camera captured the reactions of
the lucky gents. "The point of the video is
to highlight the absurdity of the sweeping
restrictions and the generalisations about
gay and bisexual men on which they are
based," said Thomson, Chief Creative
director at McCann London.
Source: ww.campaignlive.co.uk/article/
mccann-campaign-ridicules-gay-mens-
blood-donation-restrictions-gaydr-
device/1484424
DUBAI | JUNE 2018
Uber pay for
transport to
donate blood
in Dubai
The transport company Uber supported
blood donations by offering free rides to
app users to and from their nearest blood
donation centre for the month of June. It
was as simple as using the code IFRCDubai
when requesting an Uber to your nearest
blood donation clinic.
Source: www.lovindubai.com/news/uber-
blood-donations
16S W E D E N | J U LY 2 0 1 8
Foreigners must speak
Swedish to donate
blood in Sweden
Currently, in Sweden, internationals are stopped from becoming
blood donors. Plans are however in the pipeline to allow
English-speaking citizen to donate blood in the Swedish capital,
Stockholm, when 15 nurses in the city will receive medical English
training, focusing on communication with donors. The health
declarations and all other obligatory information have already
been translated to English. The initiative will enable non-Swedish
speakers to donate blood at certain times, although a Swedish
personal ID number (the ten-digit identification number for
residents in Sweden) will still be required.
Source: www.thelocal.se/20180710/foreigners-must-speak-
swedish-to-donate-blood-but-this-may-change-next-year
U S A | AU G U ST 2 0 1 8
Gut bacteria may
hold key to creating
universal donor
blood type
The key to changing blood types may be in the gut. Enzymes
made by bacteria in the human digestive tract can strip the sugars
that determine blood type from the surface of red blood cells in
the lab, a new study by the University of British Columbia, found.
That's important, because those sugars, or antigens, can
cause devastating immune reactions if introduced into the body
of someone without that particular blood type. A few enzymes
discovered in the past can change type B blood to type O, but
the newly discovered group of enzymes is the first to effectively
change type A to type O, the universal blood group.
Study results showed that enzymes made with DNA extracted
from human-gut microbes could remove type A and B antigens
from red blood cells.
A challenge in altering blood types is that the procedure has to
be economical on a unit-by-unit basis, said Dr. Alyssa Ziman, the
director of transfusion medicine at UCLA Health.
Source: www.nbcnews.com/mach/science/gut-bacteria-may-
hold-key-creating-universal-donor-blood-type-ncna902971
17MESSAGE FROM
THE CEO
BY DR GREGORY BELLAIRS
For the past 80 years, the Western Province Blood
Transfusion Service (WPBTS) has been helping people to
celebrate another birthday, another Christmas, another
childbirth … another day.
It’s at the heart of what we do.
The core purpose of the Service, when it was established
in 1938, was to provide blood products for transfusion to
patients at the Groote Schuur Hospital, as well as the
other bigger hospitals in Cape Town. Essentially that core
purpose has not changed in the last 80 years, apart from
the expansion to cover the entire Western Cape Province.
The WPBTS is proud to have grown from a small
community-based organisation into a technologically
advanced blood service. In the last few decades, a vast
array of technological and scientific improvements have
been introduced, which have improved efficiencies,
increased the safety of the blood supply, and enabled
better delivery of a wide array of blood products.
As the only Blood Service in the Western Cape, we are
well established after 80 years and the Service continues
to deliver on its mission to supply sufficient, safe blood
products to patients throughout the Western Cape, while
operating at the highest ethical standards and principles.
As we reflect on the past 80 years I would like to take
a moment to thank our remarkable blood donors, staff,
customers and suppliers for their support, which allows
us to celebrate this significant milestone in the Service’s
history. We look forward to the challenges and successes
of the next 80 years knowing that we have all laid a
secure foundation for the future.
18t: 021 507 6300 • www.wpblood.org.za
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