Highland chef shares food for thought on blood donation
“If I had the chance to speak to the people who gave up half an hour of their time to help me out all those years ago, I’d love to thank them for saving my life.”
David Cooper (25) from Inverness now enjoys an exciting career at a top city hotel, but an emergency situation when he was just a child means that might never have happened if it hadn’t been for blood donors.
He explained: “I was nine years old and remember it was snowing heavily outside when I was taken to hospital for a pain in my abdomen that the doctors thought was appendicitis.
“It turned out to be double pneumonia, and things got so bad I was air lifted to Aberdeen for emergency surgery.
“During surgery to clear my lungs there was a complication and the surgeons had to work for over four hours to prevent my lung from completely collapsing, during which time my platelets weren’t clotting, and I was bleeding out.
“Thanks to the surgeons and the blood donors who were there for me, all I really remember was the heavy snow on the way to the hospital and waking up in intensive care afterwards.
“If it wasn’t for those people things could’ve turned out so differently.”
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Now a chef at the Kingsmills Hotel and a keen player with Highland Hockey Club, David keeps fit and well, despite having had a long road to recovery after his childhood trauma.
He added: ‘I’d say to anyone who’s never given blood before, or anyone who hasn’t been along in a while, to just get themselves booked in and do it.
“All they stand to lose is a little bit of time but what someone else could gain from their generosity is priceless.”
Gillian McCauley, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service recruitment and publicity officer, said: ”The service is currently trying to build blood stocks and we’re particularly looking for donations from O Positive and O Negative donors. However, we’re also looking for brand new donors, so even if you have no idea of your blood type, we’d love to see you – please do book in.”
There are various sessions available at the Inverness Donor Centre with community sessions also planned for Drumnadrochit on February 24, Nairn on February 25 and Fortrose on March 4.
Highland News and Media wants to bring 5000 people in to give blood between now and Easter.
Join our campaign to give blood and save lives.
Book an appointment to give blood at www.scotblood.co.uk, or call 0345 90 90 999 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).
