A GREENOCK man who has helped to save the lives of tiny newborn babies has been honoured by blood bank bosses as he reaches a remarkable milestone.

Andrew Nisbet, 62, has been donating blood and platelets through the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service since the early 1990s. 

Around a year ago, Andrew was asked by the service to donate his platelets to help neo-natals who need emergency treatment.

He recently heard that some of the parents of newborns saved by his donations may want to say 'thank-you' to him in person.

The avid Morton fan, who is blood type O negative, has now given blood and/or platelets more than 200 times. 

Andrew cannot say for certain how many lives he has saved but says he's very proud to have reached the amazing landmark.

He said: "I've no idea how many people I will have helped over the years but it could be into thousands. 

"After I've donated I just think 'hopefully that will be saving someone's life'. I hope that I've saved a lot of people but it's hard to put a number on it."

Andrew started giving blood back in 1991 when he worked at Inverclyde Royal. 

He said: "I was working in the stores department and the blood transfusion truck was out the back, so I just decided one day to start donating. 

"It only takes about 15 or 20 minutes to donate a pint of blood and it's really simple to do."

Andrew became a platelet donor after he gave blood at Greenock Town Hall back in 2005. 

Platelets help the blood to form clots which stop or prevent bleeding, so they are vital for newborn babies and for people coming out of theatre.

Andrew said: "I saw a leaflet about platelet donation and just decided to phone up and find out more about it. 

"I go up to Nelson Mandela Place in Glasgow to do it and it takes a bit longer, but I just concentrate on my book and get the job done."

The team at the transfusion service put a needle into a vein on Andrew's right arm - the same vein he's donated from since the early 1990s - just as they do when they take blood in the normal way. 

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He's hooked up to a special machine which extracts the platelets from his blood, and then puts his blood back into his body. 

Around a year ago, Andrew was asked by the service to donate every three weeks to help neonatal babies. 

Up until that point, his platelets would have been used for a wide variety of patients. 

Andrew added: "I've been told that my platelets have good antibodies in them and they're good for really small babies. 

"I keep myself fit, I cycle and do a lot of walking, so I suppose I'm quite fit for my age and maybe that's why my platelets are good.

"I can be on the machine for more than an hour but I just focus on getting the job done and concentrate on reading my book."

Andrew was recently told that parents of some of the newborns he has saved are keen to meet him to say thank-you. 

He said: "I'm sure that will be really emotional if that happens.

"Parents are so thankful to me that their wee ones have been saved. 

"Hearing that makes me even more determined to keep doing it."

To honour his 200 donations, Andrew received a beautiful clock and badge from the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service with a certificate recognising his 'generosity and commitment'.

Andrew says he has no intention of stopping his donations anytime soon. 

He added: "I'll keep doing this for as long as they need me to and for as long as I can."