MORE than 1,600 blood donors were honoured in Singapore at the annual World Blood Donor Day celebrations held at the Jurong Bird Park on Saturday.

For the first time, a Medal For Life award, presented to donors who have donated blood more than 200 times, was given out.

The recipient was Mr James Law, a 61-year-old donar who has donated blood since he was a regular in Army forty years ago.

The bachelor said he donates whole blood at least four times a year. On top of that, he also donates platelets, cells which helps to prevent bleeding by causing blood clots to form, every month.

'It doesn't cost me anything to donate blood. I just spend an hour or so at the blood bank and I can help so many people,' said the bachelor who has since retired from the army.

At the award ceremony, beneficiaries of the blood donation also expressed their gratitude to blood donors for helping to save their lives.

One of them was burns victim Karthigayan Ramakrishnan.He was injured in Taiwan when a fighter jet crashed into a storeroom on May 11, 2007.

The accident had killed three Singapore soldiers and two Taiwanese pilots. He was among the two soldiers airlifted back.

The 25-year-old, who is now studying in university, recounted how he needed 20 units of plasma transfusions daily during his six-week stay at the Singapore General Hospital Burns Unity.

'I owe my life to the selflessness of many warm-hearted individuals that have...given their time and dedication for the patients who need your gift of life.'