New Zealand Blood Service has reached one of its highest-ever summer collection targets thanks to the continued generosity of New Zealanders.

With more than 18,000 appointments nationally still to fill throughout the remainder of January and into February, it’s encouraging people to keep donating to help continue that momentum.

Many regions achieved a record-breaking number of donations, most notably with the Waikato region hitting an all-time weekly high of 1050 blood donations and the Central region setting a new weekly record with 506 blood donations.

More than 21,000 units of blood, plasma and platelets were collected across New Zealand between December 11 and January 14, an almost 59 per cent increase during the same period in 2022/2023.

NZBS National Marketing and Communications Manager Asuka Burge says the service wants to thank everyone for the tremendous support they showed.

“As some people rolled out their towels, others rolled up their sleeves, and we are extremely grateful for everyone who donated,” says Asuka.

“December is an exceptionally busy period with the Christmas rush, and January is when people are getting back from their holidays, so the fact that we were able to reach our collection targets for blood is absolutely amazing.

“The public response has been phenomenal, and the number of donations in some regions was the highest we’ve ever seen over the holiday season. Our regular donors continued to step up, but we also saw familiar faces returning after some time off, as well as a surge of newcomers.

“Our stocks for blood have remained consistently high, a testament to the kindness and generosity of our donor Whānau.”

A total of 11,669 blood donations, 9,309 plasma donations, and 304 platelet donations were collected between December 11 and January 14.

The notable summer collection milestones during that period included:

• December 13, 2023 - national record for the largest number of Wednesday donations, with 778 blood donations collected across the country.
• December 18-23, 2023 - Waikato (1050 blood donations) and Central (506 blood donations) regions achieved their biggest-ever weekly collection of blood donations. Nationally, a total of 3162 blood donations were collected during the week, setting a new record for highest national weekly collection.
• December 29, 2023 - the North Shore, Epsom and Manukau regions hit an all-time high of Friday blood donations with 224 blood donations. The Central North Island region reached the same milestone with 83 blood donations.
• January 9, 2024 - Christchurch and Dunedin regions set a new record for the highest number of Tuesday plasma donations with 156 contributions.

That said, the need for blood and plasma is ongoing and NZBS would like to see people continuing donating to maintain healthy stock levels.

To meet demand year round, more than 5000 donations are needed each week.

There are 18,095 appointments available across New Zealand between now and mid-February.

“Blood only lasts 35 days, and the need for plasma is growing by 10 percent a year, so we need ongoing donations of both types to have a continuous supply,” says Asuka.

“The easiest way to donate is by downloading the NZ Blood Service Donor App. It lets you check your eligibility, find a nearby location and book an appointment.

“The app will also notify donors when their donation has been used. It’s a very rewarding feeling knowing that the hour you took out of your day to donate helped save a life.

“Please if you haven’t already, join ourwhānau of lifesavers. The need for blood or plasma never stops, no matter the time of year.”

Download the NZ Blood Service Donor App, visit www.nzblood.co.nz or call 0800 448 325 to book an appointment to donate.