Scotland's National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is calling for new blood donors to help them cope with the busy festive season. 

The organisation requires 442 people to give blood each day during December to keep up with demand. 

This year to encourage people to donate throughout the festive month, they are highlighting a range of treatments for which donated blood is essential. 

Highlighted treatments included Road Traffic Accidents, supporting the Major Haemorrhage Protocol in Scottish hospitals, and supporting people with rarer illnesses such as sickle cell anaemia.

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Beth Lwanda, a research assistant from Glasgow, joined the organisation in calling for Glaswegians to donate blood. 

She was diagnosed with sickle cell disease at the age of three and depends upon blood transfusions. 

"I have learned to live with my condition, and have a rewarding job helping others and a beautiful daughter," she said. 

"However, health issues such as a cold, can have a major impact upon me, and I am dependent upon blood transfusions."

Sickle cell disease is an inherited condition of the red blood cells and can be life-threatening. Often the only treatment that will help patients is a transfusion of donated blood. 

The Glasgow mum added: "I'd like to thank everyone who donates blood, as without you many of my treatments simply would not be possible."

Retired teacher Kenneth McGowan gave 340 donations of whole blood platelets and plasma. 

He said: "'On 5th November last year I was diagnosed with what was later discovered to be Burkett Lymphoma, which required 600 hours of chemotherapy and I also had 3 doses of sepsis because my neutrophils were zero.

"To overcome this I received 6 units of blood products to keep me on planet earth."

Kenneth was given the all-clear in August of this year. 

He added: "This was all due to the skill and patience of the haematology department in Hairmyres and Monklands, not to mention the amazing donors who freely gave blood."

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Donor Centres across Scotland will be open on Christmas Eve, Boxing Day and Hogmanay and the organisation is reminding people to consider donating on those days. 

Lynne Willdigg, associate director of donor and transport services for the SNBTS said: "Blood products are required every day for a wide range of life saving treatments and these three patients highlight how not only diverse that range can be but that this will continue over the festive period in our hospitals as it does the remainder of the year.

"This Christmas, we would especially love to welcome new donors."

Between 2008 and 2018, 17-year-old donors coming forward dropped from 3.8% or all donors to 2.5% - a drop of 60%. 

Ms Willdigg added: "To support this campaign, in the coming year we are rolling out an online appointment booking system which is already operational in our fixed donor centres, and proving very popular with donors, plus developing further initiatives to digitalise elements of the blood donation process, such as an online donor health check."