The selfless dedication of Saint Lucia’s voluntary blood donors was celebrated as the Blood Bank Department of the Ezra Long Laboratory at the Millennium Heights Medical Complex (MHMC) honored individuals whose years of consistent blood donation have helped save countless lives.
The recognition ceremony formed part of activities marking World Blood Donor Day, observed annually on June 14, under the 2026 World Health Organization theme, One Drop of Humanity, Give Blood, Save Lives. The event brought together health officials, blood donors and stakeholders to recognize the invaluable contribution of regular donors while encouraging more eligible persons to support the national blood supply.
Chief Executive Officer of the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, Dr Damien Greaves, expressed appreciation to the donors, describing their commitment as indispensable to the country’s healthcare system.
“On behalf of the Millennium Heights Medical Complex, MHMC, our clinical teams, our patients and their families, we say thank you,” Greaves said. “We thank our donors for your consistency, for your generosity, for your commitment to maintaining a safe and steady blood supply.”
He noted that every donation has the potential to transform lives across a wide range of medical emergencies and treatments.
“Whether your donation supports a mother in childbirth, a patient undergoing surgery, a victim of trauma, a child in need of urgent care or someone battling a serious illness, your contribution matters,” he said.
“In fact, your contribution can be the difference between fear and relief, between crisis and recovery and sometimes between life and death.”
Among those recognized was long-serving blood donor Nigel Ollivierre, who said donating blood has remained a lifelong commitment spanning more than three decades.
“This for me has been a lifelong passion and having come to Saint Lucia just over five years ago I felt I needed to carry on with the tradition that I had back in Grenada where I’ve been a donor since 1990,” Ollivierre said.
He explained that he has donated blood approximately 75 times in Grenada and continues to donate both there and in Saint Lucia whenever possible.
“I kind of keep track of my status where that’s concerned so I know I gave about 75 times in Grenada. I try to mix it up a little bit so whenever I go home I do give a pint here or there and to mix it with the donations that I do here.”
Ollivierre said his dedication stems from witnessing situations where patients desperately needed blood, but supplies were unavailable.
“I am very passionate about this. It is something that I hold very near and dear, and I’ve known about many cases where there has been a desperate need for blood and blood cannot be found and not everybody is willing to donate voluntarily,” he said.
“People tend to have a desire to do so when it’s a family member or a friend, but I have consistently tried to be that, and I try to give three or four times a year.”
He added that he has encouraged those closest to him to become blood donors as well.
“I’ve encouraged my children, my siblings and just about everybody that I know.”
The Blood Bank Department used the occasion to encourage more eligible individuals to become regular voluntary blood donors, stressing that a reliable blood supply remains essential to meeting the needs of patients requiring emergency treatment, surgery and ongoing medical care.