IT was his dying father’s wish that he should give blood and Steve Trickett has been true to his father’s request ever since.

“My dad died of leukemia 11 years ago. I said to him just a few days before he died: ‘What can I do to help?’ He said: ‘The best thing you can do is give blood because it’s so important for people like me even to feel better for a few days.”

But Steve, 37, who has a catering van based outside Homebase in Tower Park, didn’t stop there.

He now donates blood platelets to help patients with leukaemia and other serious illnesses.

Steve is also friends with the mum of five-year-old Billy, whose battle with leukaemia was highlighted recently as part the Daily Echo’s Mine’s a Pint campaign.

It was Billy’s story that also inspired Steve to hold a charity day and he donated half of his day’s takings – £120 – to the Poole and District Children’s Cancer Fund (PDCCF) which supports families of children with blood cancers.

“Although it might not sound very much, every penny counts,” says Steve. “I’m a big man so I couldn’t run a marathon or anything like that so this is my way of helping out.

“I’ve got two children of my own aged seven and two and I often wonder how I would cope if they were seriously ill like Billy.

“Everyone can do their bit to help, whether it’s donating money, blood or their time to help charity’s like the PDCCF.”

Platelets are in great demand

Most platelet donations go to patients who are unable to make enough platelets in their bone marrow.

Patients with leukaemia or other cancers may have too few platelets because of their disease or treatment.

Platelets can only be stored for a few days, so regular and frequent donors are in great demand.

One donation can help up to three adults or 12 children.

The Daily Echo is appealing for readers to support the Mine’s A Pint campaign by giving blood or platelets.

If you can help, please visit blood.co.uk or call the donor helpline on 0300 123 23 23 quoting the Daily Echo’s campaign code Z76.

• Correction: In a recent story about blood platelet donor Kevin Thomas, it was claimed he could give blood to anyone because he was blood type A positive. We have been asked to point out that, in fact, only people of blood group O negative can be universal donors.