Hilton Malta team members have made the difference between life and death for people with serious injury: they have donated blood to the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS).

The Hilton Malta Sports and Social Committee held its annual Blood Drive on 26 February, with the collaboration of the NBTS.

The Mobile Blood Donation Unit parked at the entrance of the hotel at 8.30am, ready to take life-giving blood from generous donors willing to provide a life line to people they do not know.

In previous years, the Hilton Malta’s Blood Drive contribution had run over one or two days, and the hotel used to make available a number of meeting rooms for the purpose.

This year, by making the best use of the Mobile Unit’s visibility, Blood Drive continued to emphasize the importance of blood donation to all the hotel guests and the many visitors the hotel receives every day.

This importance cannot be over emphasized. About 40 to 50 units of blood (18 to 23 litres) are required every day. Among those needing blood transfusions are victims of accidents and people suffering from serious conditions, including kidney disease, who require transfusions on a daily basis.

Moreover, red blood cells must be used within 42 days while platelets (clotting agents that allow healing of injuries) are useless after just five days.

This means that the NBTS needs a minimum of some 50 donors per day to donate some life-blood. Of the 300,000 people in Malta eligible to donate, only 5% actually do so.

The Hilton Malta Sports and Social Committee and the hotel’s team members organise the annual Blood Drive to emphasize the importance of blood donation, while leading by example.

Donors contribute approximately one unit each, that is 450ml of the average of six litres of blood each person has. The process is safe, with minimal risk for normally healthy people.

Blood can be donated at the Blood Bank near St Luke’s Hospital or at the Mobile Unit: to find out when it will be somewhere near you, log on to www.health.gov.mt/nbts/ mob.htm.