A YOUNGSTER from Okehampton travelled to London last week to help launch a national appeal for blood donors to boost stocks before a busy summer in Britain.

Bea Holman-Brooks helped launch the appeal by NHS Blood and Transplant to try and boost blood stocks to 30% above their usual levels by the start of the Olympic Games in July.

Bea received blood as part of her gruelling 28-month treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, which also required chemotherapy lumbar punctures, and taking a series of medicines. She is now in full remission.

She said: 'I owe my life to those kind people across the UK who have given blood — without them I would not be here today. 

'Please make a donation this summer to help other people like myself and save lives.'

The increase is needed because of the unusually high number of public events in the UK this summer, including the Olympic Games. Regular donors often miss appointments during national events and celebrations as routines are disrupted.

Active donors in particular, including more than 172,000 in the South West region, are especially being asked to make an appointment if they are eligible between now and the start of the Olympics, to help build stocks.

Donors of all blood groups are needed to help build stock, but there are particularly high national targets for the O+, O- and B- blood groups to help build and adjust the blood mix.

Ahead of the summer events additional appointments have been created and selected blood donor sessions have extended opening hours to give donors more flexibility to schedule a visit to their local session at a convenient time.

New donation criteria, recently introduced by NHSBT, means that men can now donate blood more frequently. Male donors can now give four times in 12 months, as long as they wait 12 weeks between donations.

Women are advised to only donate three times a year to protect them from developing health problems such as anaemia.

Okehampton Charter Hall will host blood donation sessions on Thursday May 10, Wednesday August 22 and Thursday October 25.

Donors will also be able to give blood at Chagford Jubilee Hall on Tuesday May 8 and Thursday August 30, Hatherleigh Community Centre on Tuesday May 15 and Thursday October 2, and North Tawton Primary School on Wednesday June 6.

If you are eligible to donate or are thinking of donating for the first time go to blood.co.uk or call 0300 123 23 23.

RIGHT:?Bea Holman-Brookes with body-painted blood donors to raise awareness of the need for new and existing donors to donate.