Ron Pattenden has an estimated 100 donors to thank for keeping him alive.

Esther Pekepo wouldn't be alive today were it not for the generosity of strangers.

More than 6000 sign up to become first-time blood donors

Kiwis thanked for their fantastic support for life-saving campaign supported by the Herald.

Olympians returning directly from Rio will face a four-week blood-donation stand-down because of the city's being in the zone of mosquitoes that carry viruses.

COMMENT: I've certainly met a few mad cows in my time, but from memory I don't think I've ever eaten one.

Because a stranger gave up less than an hour of time, Ella survived a brain tumour.

Suzi Wallis' first experience with blood donation was at birth - she now repays that favour. Dozens of times over.

Lucca Holecliffe had an extremely rare tumour that had grown so big it was more than 10 per cent of the Auckland toddler's body weight.

Auckland preschooler Charn Lee-Tuafale, 3, has received more than 30 units of blood in transfusions since he was born.

A charity in memory of Chace Topperwien, the little boy whose brave cancer battle captured the hearts of thousands, is living up to the legacy left by its namesake.

Gill South gets altruistic and donates, not her blood (mad cow issue), but her time to a very good cause.

An investigation is under way after a cancer sufferer was given blood with traces of malaria.

The suspension of 15 striking laboratory workers in the North Island this morning was an attempt to intimidate them, their union says.