HE WAS told to have a good Christmas because it would be his last.

After receiving a life-saving four units of blood, a Hampshire man is now urging the public to become blood donors.

Andrew Seery, 47, from Winchester is urging donors across the county to make and keep appointments to donate blood this month, to ensure hospitals can continue to treat patients like Andrew over the festive season.

He has a rare condition which requires him to have regular blood transfusions, even over Christmas, to keep him alive.

Andrew suffers from a genetic condition called Erythropoietic Protoporphyria (EPP) which causes a build-up of chemicals in the blood and leads to sensitivity to light.

He said: “Thank you to NHS Blood and Transplant and especially to blood donors for allowing me to live an abundant full life.

“This will be my 14th Christmas after having four units of blood one Christmas Eve and being told have a good Christmas as it will be your last!

“I would like to wish all blood donors a great Christmas.”

Andrew is now seen by a red cell specialist who is a worldwide expert in this illness, and also receives weekly blood transfusions to help manage the condition and keep him alive.

Karen Healy, senior marketing coordinator at NHS Blood and Transplant, said: “We need our amazing donors in Southampton more than ever at this time of year.

“If you make and keep an appointment this December you will be saving and improving lives over the festive season – can you think of a better gift to give?

“Please make a date to donate now. If you cannot make your appointment to give blood, please let us know as soon as possible.”

There is demand for lifesaving blood and platelets all year, this doesn’t stop for Christmas.

Many children and adults need transfusions over the festive period, as treatments for a blood condition or cancer or due to surgery, childbirth or an accident.

Around a third of appointments remain unbooked in December, and over the festive season around 24,000 appointments to give blood are also missed.

All blood groups are being asked to make and keep their life-saving appointment in the run up to and over Christmas, but vulnerable groups like O negative, B negative and A negative platelets are particularly important.

It’s also important that donations from across the country’s diverse population are received, as some disorders are more common in certain ethnic backgrounds and patients need to receive well-matched blood.

Red blood cells only have a shelf life of 35 days, and platelets, tiny cells in the blood which enable clotting, only have a shelf life of seven days.

Every week the entire red cell stock needs replacing and the national supply of platelets needs replenishing every few days.

To book an appointment visit blood.co.uk, use an NHS Give Blood app or ring 03001232323.