Gratitude for blood donations

I have read the Talking Point by Anthony Micallef, staff nurse at the National Blood Transfusion Service (January 22) and was especially interested to read that it is in the interest of all of us that the Blood Bank has a good supply of blood at all times; that much can be done to achieve this, giving as an example that patients who have recovered should write to newspapers expressing their gratitude to those who gave them blood, adding that one never sees a thank-you letter to blood donors.

On reading this my mind went back to November 26, 1999, when I wrote a letter of thanks to blood donors for publication in The Times, which unfortunately never appeared but which ran thus:

"The letter from the Malta Blood Donors' Association medical consultant Dr Roy Schembri Wismayer (November 26) reminded me that I have a debt to pay.

"I have still not thanked the anonymous donors of the blood I was given when I had two operations at Capua Palace Hospital on December 16 and 28, 1997.

"Whoever they are and wherever they are, I should like them to know that I have often thought of them and wondered who they were, and that I am indeed grateful for their priceless gift.

"Although my thanks are somewhat belated, they are nonetheless most heartfelt and sincere."

So not everyone is ungrateful. I remember how sad I was when my letter was "killed" and that my gratitude had not reached the donors. But I felt better some time later, when Lilian Maistre had a guest from the Blood Bank on her programme on Radio Malta Familja Waħda and I phoned in and expressed my gratitude.

In 2002 I was one of the patients sent by government to King's College Hospital, London, where I had four operations in two weeks and must have been given gallons of blood. I am also grateful to those foreign donors.

And since this letter seems to be one of delayed thanks I should be grateful for some space to thank the only two people connected with that visit to London, whom I have still not thanked enough: the kind and courteous pursers on the Air Malta flights to/from Heathrow on July 21 (a.m.) and November 11 (p.m.) 2002.