We had gone there to enjoy the last of summer this year before the autumn chills. It was idyllic as usual, on one of the most iconic stretches of beach in South Africa.

We were in for a surprise. What happened subsequently came out of the blue and got me thinking deeply.  

As it were, I met my Waterloo – my first broken bone in the surf in many decades of keeping fit swimming and surfing in the sea. I came off second best by sheer fluke to a “shorebreak” wave. Warning: beware such waves, however small, breaking on or near the shore. Always respect the capricious oceans that lap around our land.   

I was swimming idly towards the beach where my partner Jane stood. I was suddenly tossed on to sand compacted just below the surface in shallow water. It happened just as I steadied myself to get up.

It led to my being driven directly to the Plett Mediclinic. I had broken my right clavicle, or collarbone. The X-rays showed a clean break, with one piece of the clavicle near the shoulder broken off and, as it were, floating.  

Then followed two weeks in and out of hospital flat on my back much of the time, overtaken by events which reminded me of the eternal value of our blood service, and left me much more aware of my fellow human beings, not to mention my own mortality.

In the operation, sutures, tightly secured, anchored the injury more or less into line. We returned to Cape Town, my arm in a sling.

Then, for whatever reason, possibly exacerbated by necessary drugs taken, I developed a sudden stomach upset, and lost blood. I became visibly anaemic.    

So it was straight to hospital again, this time Vincent Pallotti in Pinelands. A gastroscope probed around inside my stomach. An ulcer, apparently dormant for a long time, had been activated, causing bleeding. It needed transfusions. Two units of blood and one of iron were trickled into my left forearm.

I wondered who might have kindly donated to bring me from anaemia to health. I even speculated over their identity, presumably fit and healthy in mind and body since the rules for donors are rightly strict. I was not even able to say thanks, which are hereby vicariously and profusely offered. In the event, the recovery was immediate and remarkable.

Yet I have been deeply moved by the experiences. 

Though the newspaper I had edited, the Cape Times, had always supported the drives of the local blood transfusion service and other public-spirited causes, I had never been deeply into this subject. That came through a broken collarbone.

We live in critical times, what with Covid taking its toll and severely testing our medical services, and with bloodletting growing, boosted by rocketing road accident figures and rampant violent crime, including domestic and gender based, that, for now, cries out for much more blood. Less than 1% of South Africans are active blood donors, a fraction of what the figure is in countries like the USA, where it’s up to 10% annually. Yet three out of four people will need to be given blood at some time in their lives. That’s you and me. The imbalance is stunning.

Because of my mishap, I have become intensely aware of those who voluntarily and gratis give some of their own blood to keep others alive – one of the most noble contributions a human can make to his or her fellows. 

I find that donors are usually modest, matter of fact, about what they do so regularly and critically. This is public spiritedness in action. They come from all walks of life, as I have found in my own circles when discussing the subject, with a security guard, a geologist and a gemmologist among others. It is simply a story of selflessness to help others in the interests of humanity.

All donors deserve unending applause. Donors should be urged to come forward in larger numbers to keep the blood of life flowing to us all. We need to find potential leadership figures in society of whatever status, culture, race, faith or persuasion – call them blood donation ambassadors – to help to make the difference. It’s a live or die matter.

To make matters worse, the KZN floods have recently added their cruel twist, bringing crisis conditions to blood services. This has led to urgent appeals to people aged from 16 to 75 who meet set criteria, including low-risk lifestyle, to give blood. In some areas certain blood stocks were recently standing at 2 days’ supply. All strata of society who can, should pitch in to help.

Those working tirelessly on stabilising our society need to be cheered on too – whether seeking better health, improved policing against violent crime, cutting down on road accidents which have left some of our roads and localities flowing with blood. We only have to look around us to see the daunting scale of what has yet to be done.

So, let’s get on with the job by boosting donating and stocking up on our blood supplies. The effort can unite us nationally, when so many things these days conspire to divide people. DM

For potential blood donors or those interested, call the SA National Blood Service on 0800 11 9031. Or email [email protected] or check  https://sanbs.org.za/. The Western Cape number is 021 507 6300.

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