Well-known Aberdeenshire architect Annie Kenyon is inviting friends and clients to Pledge a Pint to mark World Blood Donor Day on Monday, June 14.
Annie lost 80% of her blood when she started haemorrhaging and went into labour 36 weeks into her pregnancy. She was rushed to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where she underwent an emergency hysterectomy and received a life-saving blood donation to replace the five litres of blood she had lost.
This month, she and partner Duncan Barton celebrated their son Johnny Mac’s second birthday and to mark the occasion, and to raise awareness of the vital work of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service, she has set a target for 100 people to donate a pint of blood to support her Pledge a Pint campaign.
“I had a difficult pregnancy and at my 16 week scan, I was put on ‘serious alert’ and warned that I might need a blood transfusion. At the time I thought, it won’t happen to me – blood transfusions are only for serious issues,” said Annie.
“When I was rushed to hospital I received numerous packs of donated blood, if I hadn’t, I wouldn’t be here today to live my life with my beautiful family.
“Unfortunately, I can’t thank all the individuals who saved my life by donating a pint of blood, so I want to do something to recognise the fabulous volunteers who give of their time to donate to help people they’ll never meet.
“I used to donate blood but since I’ve had a transfusion, I can never donate again. At the time I was donating I never thought about how much it could mean to someone like me or their families. It was just something I did when I had time, but now I can’t donate again, I wish I had donated more as I now realise how important it is. It only takes an hour, but it’s such an easy gesture to make to save a life. A life like mine or maybe yours in the future.
“Life is always busy, we always think there will be tomorrow to do things, but actually there isn’t always a tomorrow; there wouldn’t have been for me if someone, somewhere, hadn’t donated blood.
“If anyone donates in support of Pledge a Pint, I’d love if they could let me know so I can add them to the list.”
Around two percent of all blood donated in Scotland provides a vital lifeline for mothers, babies and young children.
Annie, whose award-winning practice, Annie Kenyon Architects, is based near Huntly, usually organises an annual hoolie to raise funds for a given charity. Previous recipients have included the Doddie Weir Foundation, Anchor Unit, Friends of the Neonatal Unit, Oyne school, Turriff Heritage Society and the Haiti Earthquake Appeal.
With events postponed because of the pandemic last year, Annie launched this year’s Pledge a Pint campaign, which asks people to donate a pint of blood rather than money.
To find out how you can donate, visit http://www.scotblood.co.uk/
Let Annie know you’ve donated by contacting her at annie@akenyonarchitects.com