New Zealand Blood Service (NZBS) will be holding a mobile blood drive in the Wellington College AGC on Wednesday 29 April, 9am – 2pm.

Information for Parents, Guardians and Whānau

It is important that we encourage students into a lifetime habit of donating blood and making a worthwhile contribution to their community.

The Care of Children Act 2004 allows people 16 years and over to make their own decisions about whether they wish to give blood. Students may choose to donate blood at this session.

NZBS recommends that students discuss becoming a blood donor with their family. If families have a particular objection to the student choosing to donate blood, please make this known to the student and to the school before the blood drive date stated above. More information about blood donation will be available on the day of the blood drive.

Parents are also welcome to come to the school and donate blood at this blood drive.

NZBS respects the privacy of all donors and recommends conversations around blood donor eligibility is carried out sensitively. If you require any further information please call 0800 GIVE BLOOD (0800 448 325) or visit nzblood.co.nz

Becoming a blood donor:

Age: 16 years +

Height /Weight: For height of 150cm and over, you must weigh at least 50kg to donate. For height of under 150cm, you must weigh at least 53kg to donate.

Health:

• You must be in good health.

• You cannot donate if you have a cold, flu, Covid, sore throat, diarrhoea, vomiting or any other infection.

• You cannot donate if you have a cold sore, wound or graze until it is fully healed.

• You must wait 3 months following a tattoo or piercing before you can donate.

• If you have recently visited the dentist, you must wait at least 24 hours following a minor procedure (cleaning, fillings or braces) or until you have recovered before donating. For complex procedures, such as tooth extraction, please wait at least 7 days after your procedure and any antibiotic treatment.

Travel: If you have been overseas in the last 12 months, please use the “Donating after Travelling” tool on the NZBS website to check eligibility.

Food: You must have eaten some food during the 4 hours prior to donation. This means a decent-sized healthy breakfast, lunch or morning tea.

Identification: You need to bring suitable identification with you. Examples of acceptable ID are driver’s licence, birth certificate or passport. A Student ID Card is acceptable if it features full name, date of birth and a photograph.

With your consent we may also ask the school to confirm you are at least 16 years of age.

Important facts about blood

• There is no substitute for human blood -healthy donors are the only source of our blood supply.

• Around 30,000 patients are treated with blood or blood products in New Zealand each year.

• A blood donation is separated into different components, each of which is used to treat different patients – accident trauma, patients undergoing surgery, people with leukaemia, transplant patients and many others. Blood products are also used for immunisation to help prevent diseases such as hepatitis A and B, tetanus and chickenpox.

• Each donation can help save up to 3 people – blood donors are literally lifesavers!