Blood Heroes Unite: Phuket Regional Blood Center announces April donation opportunities

PHUKET: Those looking to be “Blood Heroes” will find it hard not to stumble upon a willing needle as the Phuket Regional Blood Center (PRBC) will offer a plethora of opportunities to donate in April.

“We are calling for donations in anticipation of an increased number of accidents, and thus a higher demand for blood during Songkran,” said PRBC Chief Pornthip Rattajak.

In addition to setting up mobile donation clinics throughout the island, the PRBC will host two events at the blood center in April.

“The PRBC, in conjunction with the Phuket Red Cross, invites the public to donate blood from April 2-6 in honor of the 59th birthday of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn on April 2. We will hold a special event at the blood center from 8:30am to 4:30pm on April 4. There will be free food and drinks. Additionally, we will give away 100 ‘squeeze the heart’ balls to donors,” said Ms Pornthip.

“Another event at the center will be from April 8-16. The first 400 donors will receive a free souvenir T-shirt from the PRBC.”

The center currently has 50 units of blood type A, 100 units of type B, 150 units of type O and 30 units of type AB in stock, explained Ms Pornthip.

“We want to have an additional 240 units of blood on hand for the holiday,” she said.

“We only have three units of Rhesus-negative blood and are always in need of more.”

To help replenish stocks, mobile donation clinics will take place on the following dates:

April 1: La Flora Resort (Patong), 1pm-4pm

April 8: Bangkok Hospital Phuket (3rd floor), 1pm-5pm

April 10: Wine Connection (Fisherman’s Way, Chalong), 9am-midday

April 18: Premium Outlet Mall (bypass road), 11am-3pm

April 22: Hilton Arcadia Resort and Spa Phuket (Karon Beach), 1pm-4pm
The Front Village Phuket (Karon Beach), 1pm-4pm

April 24: Worldlennium Company (bypass road), 1pm-4pm

April 25: British International School (Koh Kaew), 1pm-4pm
Tesco Lotus (Thalang), midday-6pm

April 27: SCB, Big C Supercenter (bypass road), 2pm-6pm

April 28: Phuket International Airport (3rd floor), 10am-4pm

April 29: JW Marriott Resort and Spa Phuket (Thalang), 1pm-4pm

April 30: Jungceylon (Patong), 10am-3pm

The PRBC accepts donations every day at their headquarters on Rattanakosin 200 Year Road, next to the Phuket Provincial Employment Office in Saphan Hin at the following times: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 8:30am to 4:30pm; Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30am to 8pm; and Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays from 9am to 3pm.

If you are unsure whether you are qualified to donate blood, see the Phuket Gazette special report on blood donations (here).

— Waritnan Aoming