Terrified Health Minister Nelson Bascome gave himself the Halloween fright of his life yesterday by confronting his fear of needles to respond to Bermuda's blood donor shortage.

A profusely sweating Mr. Bascome winced and shuddered as nurses first pricked his finger to test his blood was suitable and then sank an even bigger needle into his arm to collect a pint to boost the Island's dwindling supplies. He was beating a phobia he has held since undergoing "humungous" booster jabs at school — and showing the public giving blood is something nobody should be afraid of.

The Minister, who later declared the experience was nowhere near as bad as he expected, was one of 90 people answering the appeal from King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, whose stocks had fallen from the required 30 to 40 units to just 19 on Thursday.

Wiping his brow as he sat outside the donor room seconds before giving blood, Mr. Bascome asked a nurse: "Do people faint?", before telling The Royal Gazette: "I don't know what they call a person who has a phobia of needles, but I'm just going to bear it all today to take the needle and give blood for a good cause. I'm nervous — that's why I'm sweating. They tested my finger to make sure I had enough iron in my blood. I was praying that I would not have enough iron, but I did, so that sucks and I have to stay here.

"I've had this phobia since elementary school. They gave me a booster shot. It had five needles in it making one big thing — a humungous thing — and it just went in your arm. Since then if I could dodge needles, I have dodged them."

The needle prick was all over in an instant, with Mr. Bascome, who covered his eyes with his spare hand, asking the nurse: "I could feel the needle, but is that it? I would recommend that to anyone."

He later told this newspaper: "My heart was pumping quite fast but after the needle prick I calmed down. Once that's happened, you're fine. I always wanted to do this but I always had this phobia. Now I have got over that."

Betsie Lombard, medical director of the hospital's blood transfusion service, thanked the public for coming to the hospital's aid over the past couple of days. She said normally 25 people attend clinic sessions, but there had been 92 responses since the appeals, with 30 people signing up as regular donors.