Demand for platelets has grown by 50pc over the past eight years, largely because of the new cases of cancer and the numbers of patients undergoing chemotherapy.
The IBTS said that it needs at least 22,000 donations of platelets per year in order to meet the current demand.
Platelets are a component of blood and are essential to enable it to clot properly.
Chemotherapy often damages bone marrow cells where the platelets are made, making patients prone to spontaneous bleeding. Cancer patients, especially leukaemia patients, often therefore depend on platelet transfusions while they are undergoing chemotherapy.
The IBTS has announced a 75pc increase in the collection of platelets since joining forces with the Irish Cancer Society to raise awareness of the importance of platelet donation.