 The holiday season is a period dedicated to spending time with family and loved ones, a time of fellowship and friendship. On the other end of the spectrum, this time of year is particularly challenging for us at the Blood Bank Department. This is due to what has become a usual decline in blood donations from December to January. The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has made this situation even more dire. Everyone knows someone who has needed or needs blood. Whether it be your uncle on dialysis, your co-worker who is fighting with cancer, your neighbour undergoing surgery to amputate his leg or your daughter with sickle cell anemia, the need for blood remains constant. It is for this reason that we encourage year-round blood donations as a means of creating a strong yet sustainable national blood supply that is sufficient to meet the needs of all patients requiring a transfusion. We assure you that giving blood during this pandemic is safe. Our trained and professional staff conduct temperature checks on all potential donors, sanitisation is performed after each donation and wearing a mask is fully enforced. This simple act of kindness is the greatest gift anyone can give this season. To donate blood, please call us at 4525430 or email us at slubloodbank.gmail.com. As we look forward to the commencement of 2021, the Blood Bank Department of the Ezolong Laboratory, OKEU, would like to thank all our blood donors and sponsors for their continued support. We wish you all happy holidays and a prosperous new year.