Irish Blood Transfusion Service

Thank you Paul, for every one of your 668 platelet donations! 💛 Paul is now retiring after many years of donating and helping countless patients across Ireland.

Booked an overseas holiday this summer?☀️🌴

Travel doesn't automatically rule you out from donating. Deferral periods vary depending on your destination, so it's always worth checking rather than assuming you're excluded.

Ciarán ran his first marathon in Dublin in 1981 - the "RTÉ Radio 2 Dublin City Marathon". He has run every Dublin marathon since, having only missed two races. In total, he has completed 230 marathons, the most recent being the Lap of the Gap in the Wicklow Mountains in May.

He is also a "marathon" donor - having given his first donation in Bray in 1979! "I made a pact with the person above that if my Leaving Certificate went well, I would become a blood donor", he says. "I was a regular blood donor until 2008, when a staff member asked if I would be willing to be screened for platelet donation. I have been donating platelets ever since."

Ciarán has proudly worn his "give platelets" singlet at the local and during the Lap of the Gap, and intends to wear it at as many events as possible. "It’s important to me to wear a singlet that has meaning, and I hope to raise awareness about platelet donation and encourage more people to become donors", he says.

Thank you so much for your donations and for promoting giving blood and platelets, Ciarán - here is to your continued good health!

Meet Orla, cook book writer and blood transfusion recipient! Orla started giving blood at just 18 years old, and gave for many years. After living in London for a year, she had to take a break, but started giving blood again as soon as the rules changed.

In 2021, Orla went from giving blood to receiving it. She had bariatric surgery, and although the surgery went well, there were complications during recovery and she required a blood transfusion. "Thankfully, I received two units of donated blood. Within two days, I was feeling much better and was allowed to go home, where I continued my recovery," says Orla.

"I can no longer donate blood myself due to having received life-saving blood from someone else, however, my daughter now donates regularly. It costs nothing but an hour of your time, and it is life-changing for those of us who need it."