Every 5 minutes a new blood donor is needed to keep up with the ever-growing demand for blood, which has been worsened by the pandemic keeping people at home.
Blood is used in many ways, making it even more important, from cancer and blood diseases to road incidents and trauma.
What donated red bloods cells are used for:
- 34% - cancer and blood diseases
- 19% - anaemia
- 18% - heart surgery and severe burns
- 13% - heart, stomach, and kidney diseases
- 10% - fractures and join replacements
- 4% - help pregnant women, new mothers, and young children
- 2% - road incidents and trauma
You can book now via the Lifeblood website.
Our CEO's story
Some of you may be unaware, in November 2020, I was involved in a head on collision whilst riding my motorbike in the Hawkesbury River. I sustained life-threatening injuries* (detail at bottom) and had 5 minutes left to live.
I arrived by helicopter at Westmead Hospital, I had multiple blood transfusions equating to more than 10+ litres of blood between the time of my accident and going into surgery. Reflecting on the last 12 months I am here today to tell a story and drive something that is extremely special to me.
How much blood do you give when you donate?
470ml. It's about 8% of the average adult's blood volume. Within 24-48 hours of donating, your body will have fully restored your blood volume.
How often can I give blood?
Every 12 weeks. If you're keen to donate more often, you can give plasma every two weeks.
Plasma
Over half of your blood is a liquid called plasma – and donating it is a game-changer. Your plasma can help in 18 life-giving ways, from treating serious burns to cancer.
How long does it take?
45 minutes to donate, up to 1.5 hours for the whole appointment.
Blood
Short on time? Choose ‘blood’, and you could save up to 3 lives before lunch! If you time it right, you could even donate during your lunch break with snacks on us.
How long does it take?
10 minutes to donate, 60 minutes for the whole appointment.
Platelets
These tiny 'plates' in your blood make a huge difference for seriously ill patients. If you're male and have donated plasma in the past 12 months, let's talk about platelets.
How long does it take?
60 minutes to donate, about 2 hours for the whole appointment.
If you can't donate blood for whatever reason, there are other ways you can help! Find out more on the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood website.