A Coventry grandfather has earned the impressive title of the most prolific blood donor in the NHS' history - a selfless move that actually led to the 'accidental' diagnosis of a health condition.
Peter Randle, 69, began his journey as a blood donor at the age of 18 while studying at university. Since then, he has donated blood an impressive 138 times.
The financial adviser, who has O negative blood - a universal blood type that can be given to anyone in an emergency - explained to PA how his regular donations led to doctors catching his own health condition.
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He said: "I was diagnosed with something quite accidentally really, called haemochromatosis, which is where your blood produces too much iron and that iron can attach itself to your organs if you don't control it.
"I was OK because I was giving blood regularly, because that's the treatment for it, to take blood regularly, they then allowed me to go every two months when other donors are allowed to donate every three months.
"It's a win-win because I can give more often and people will benefit from it. So I put my foot on the accelerator then and now go about every eight weeks."
Peter has called on people to save lives by giving blood.
His plea comes as NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) celebrates its 20th anniversary, thanking all blood, organ and stem cell donors for their contributions. The organisation was established in October 2005 following the merger of the National Blood Authority, UK Transplant and Bio Products Laboratory.
Speaking to PA news agency about his motivation, he said: "When I was in my 30s I became aware that my blood group is what they call a universal blood group, which means in an emergency they can give it to anyone.
"So I realised that it was more important for me to give blood which is what motivated me to keep giving."
He further encouraged others to donate, especially those with rarer blood types like his own. He added: "It's just something you can do to help society so I would encourage everyone to do it - particularly if you've got the rarer blood groups like mine, then then you should really try and find the time to do it.
"If you give every three months, if you don't do anything else particularly good during that time you've always done that."
Since the inception of NHSBT, Mr Randle has made 88 donations, marking the highest number of donations in the organisation's 20-year history. An additional 41 donors have also made over 80 donations each.
NHSBT is appealing for O negative donors to come forward as well as people with B- blood and black heritage donors.
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, NHSBT has showcased some of its accomplishments over the past two decades, including:.
- 33,727,426 blood donations.
- 4,341,851 "whole blood" donors, 32,929 plasma donors and 77,815 platelet donors.
- 286,166 people who have joined the NHS Stem Cell Donor Registry.
- 10 people have donated all of blood, plasma, platelets and stem cells through NHSBT.
The organisation also revealed that 53 new blood group antigens and 104 new blood group alleles have been discovered by NHSBT scientists.
Dr Gail Miflin, chief medical officer at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: "The work that we have done as an organisation over these last two decades is truly life-saving and life-improving and we couldn't have done any of it without the millions of generous blood, organ, plasma, platelet and stem cell donors who have put themselves forward to help those who need it.
"We cannot thank them enough for everything they have done and continue to do."
She added: "As well as our blood, organ and stem cell donation services, we also have a multitude of incredible teams who carry out world class research and deliver leading clinical services that help us to develop and scale up new offerings for the NHS, translating breakthroughs into real-life products that reach patients, saving and improving lives.
"We look forward to seeing what the next 20 years bring - and to continue to welcome our existing donors alongside the new, so we can work together to save and improve the lives of all of those who need it."
NHSBT emphasised how 12,000 people have lost their lives in the past decade whilst awaiting an organ transplant, with more than 8,000 currently on the waiting list, as it encouraged people to register their choice on the organ donor register.
Simon Elmore, who underwent a kidney transplant in 2015, explained how "incredibly special" organ donation is as he expressed gratitude to the family of his donor. The 50 year old from Belper, Derbyshire, who has since taken part in the Transplant Games, shared: "My kidneys suddenly failed when I was 33 and I was added to the transplant waiting list.
"Five years into that wait, I had a stroke and fell seriously ill. At one point I wasn't expected to survive the night.
"Since I received my transplant, now a full decade ago, I've gone on to live life to its fullest. I now have the chance to open my eyes every day and smile.
"Organ donation is incredibly special and I send my thanks to my donor family and all of the donor families out there, as well as all of the staff across NHS Blood and Transplant and the wider NHS, who work to make the transplants happen."
NHSBT is also urging people to register to become stem cell donors, particularly more young men.