I have given away enough of my corpuscles to satisfy a legion of vampires over the years, starting at high school, and nowadays donating the maximum four times a year.

This must be one of the simplest procedures there is to help other people.

If you don’t remember to go and donate, they ring and remind you.

It takes 20 minutes, four times a year, and if you can’t go to them, they come to you.

They give you the most amazing array of chocolate biscuits to feast on after your donation as a thank you – along with some cool stickers to take home for the kids.

Any one of us might be in the hospital tomorrow, needing a transfusion.

How will you feel when the doc comes in and says "Sorry sunshine. You need to have an operation tonight or else you will die, but we can’t operate as we have RUN OUT OF BLOOD"

If you give blood already, good on ya, if not, DON’T BE SUCH A BLOODY WIMP!

As to the excuses:

Anyone over about 55kg can go and donate blood.

It is 100% harmless to the person donating blood.

Yes, it hurts a little, but big deal.

Go and do it