Ollie’s Donation Story
On World Blood Donor Day you might’ve seen Rugby player, Ollie Smith, on BBC Scotland - The Nine news talking about Give Blood 4 Good and the importance of giving blood regularly. Following his interview, we asked Ollie a few more questions about his motivations behind blood donation and what he would say to others to encourage more people to give blood - read on to hear more!
Why do you donate blood?
“After Patrick passed away in 2019 I started donating blood more regularly. He was a massive advocate for giving blood - it was actually the first thing he did when he turned 17, and I feel that donating blood regularly is a great way to continue his legacy, knowing that he’s still having such a good influence on so many people. It’s such an easy thing to do and is so important in saving lives, as well as improving the shortages in blood supplies across Scotland."
How many times have you donated blood? Does the process get easier the more often you donate?
“I’ve now donated blood nine times over the past few years, and I would say my ninth donation was as easy as my first."
Statistically in the UK, more women donate than men, even though in certain situations male blood is more useful. What would you say to encourage more men to donate?
"As a young person myself, I know that awareness surrounding blood donation is low. A lot of my mates don’t really give blood or know much about it, however it's a ridiculously easy thing to do if you can. In my opinion, donating blood only has upsides and it’s such a good deed to do. By giving up only half an hour of your time you’re impacting up to three people’s lives, and I mean you also get chocolate at the end, so there’s no downsides really!
If you’re worried about the process, I’d encourage you to go along with your friends. I usually go with my mum on the same day in Glasgow, and it’s always a really nice thing for us to do together."
Do you do anything differently on a donation day compared to normal days? Does it impact your training schedule?
"I usually try to drink more water before I head to the donation centre and aim to have a decent meal, just so I know I’ve done everything I can to limit any side effects of losing blood. It’s really easy to find an appointment that fits around my training schedule, and I’ve luckily never had any significant side effects and have been able to train/play the day after donating."
What is the best piece of advice someone has given you about blood donation?
"Don’t look at the needle when they’re putting it in!!"