Ross-shire super-donor reveals what first made him give blood; Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service hails 'quiet heroes'
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ROSS-SHIRE blood donor David Mackenzie has been hailed for saving or improving countless lives as he reached the remarkable milestone of 300 donations.
The retired lecturer turned crofter on the Black Isle first gave blood about 50 years ago and is urging others to become donors, too.
Mr Mackenzie (67), whose croft is near Munlochy, gave his first donation when a bus from the blood transfusion service parked up at the village hall at North Kessock.
"There was a donor session in my area and I just thought to myself, why not?" he said.
"I initially became a blood donor and then went on to give platelets. I've since gone on to register with Anthony Nolan to become a bone marrow donor as well.
"Giving blood is just something that I've always known I should do. I really don’t give it much thought any more, I just do it.
"Knowing that what you're doing is making such a massive difference to someone out there is fantastic.
"Regardless of who they are and whether they are an elderly person, a baby, a man or a woman, knowing that you could be helping them is a great feeling."
Mr Mackenzie was a lecturer in acoustics at Heriot Watt University in Edinburgh for 32 years before taking up a lecturing post in construction and building technology at Inverness College.
During his time in Edinburgh, he continued to give blood and since returning to the Highlands has gone to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness to donate.
In common with almost 30 per cent of Scotland's population, he has type A+ blood but has never need a transfusion himself.
He is urging others who have not given blood before to find out more.
"If you are unsure about it, take some along with you who has perhaps given blood before," he said.
Dr Sylvia Armstrong-Fisher, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service's head of donor services for the northern area, said: “What David has done for patients in Scotland is wonderful.
"His actions will have saved or improved the lives of countless people from tiny premature babies to cancer patients, to people involved in traffic collisions.
"On behalf of the transfusion service, I’d like to thank him and all the other blood donors across the country who quietly save lives every day."
But she said less than three per cent of the population in Scotland gave blood regularly.
"We would love to increase these numbers and it’s so easy to become a donor," she said.
People can sign up online at www.scotblood.co.uk, or by calling 0345 90 90 999.
