John Copland’s father, Jack, was a dentist by profession as well as holding the position of officer in the Holyrood Conclave of the Noble Order of Crusaders, whose aim was to help poor people in distress. Following the death of a friend’s wife because of the lack of blood for a transfusion, Jack Copland organised the first panel of blood donors in Edinburgh in 1929. At the age of 12 years, John was helping his father by taking the night calls from the Infirmary requesting a blood donor to be brought to the Infirmary. By the time he was 14 years old, John was driving on his own to pick up a suitable donor, driving them to the hospital and then driving them home afterwards.

In 1939, Jack Copland was appointed to a sub-committee, set up to advise the Department of Health for Scotland on arrangements for blood transfusion in a time of national emergency. His proposal for a national donor service led to the formation of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Association, which was formally constituted on 5th March 1940 with Mr Copland as its national organizer. While his father continued with this work, John joined the air force serving in India during war time while his wife, Joy, joined the transfusion service in a secretarial role.

After the war, following a varied career path (including the teaching of dental technology) John eventually was made responsible for technician training at the University of Edinburgh before retiring in 1977.

At the annual SNBTS conference Scotblood, the Scotblood Lifetime Achievement Award has been awarded each year since 2003 for making a significant contribution to the development of Transfusion Science or Medicine. In order to commemorate the pivotal role played by John’s father in establishing a Scottish Blood Transfusion Service, it is highly appropriate that in the 60th Anniversary year of the NHS, this should now be renamed the Copland Lifetime Achievement Award for Services to Transfusion.