Tauranga needs 30 new blood donors a month to keep up with demand.
Today is World Blood Donor Day and New Zealand Blood Service is saying thank you to all of New Zealand's 109,000 blood donors for giving fellow Kiwis a second chance at life.
On average, blood and blood products are used by 135 Kiwis every single day.
For many, it means the difference between life and death.
The generosity of strangers saved Geoff Joe's life after a mountain biking accident left him fighting for his life and in a coma for five days