Co-Founder Rachel tagged along with regular plasma donor Nikolaus Yee last week, here’s some snaps of what they got up to…
Rachel can’t donate blood because she has been out of the country in the last four months.
Nik took these himself as his support team wasn’t allowed to watch.
Nik’s donation of plasma.
Go on and be a Super Donor like Nik!
Check out these nails co-founder Rachel painted, she spent roughly an hour and half doing them.
It’s style for a good cause. What do you think?
Media Release: Help our friends at The Red Cross Australia with their recent plea for help!
EMBARGOED Monday 8 October, 2012
A local family whose son Max needs blood transfusions to survive a battle with Leukaemia is urging locals to roll up their sleeves and donate blood this October.
Five year old Max Robb was diagnosed with Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, and requires many blood transfusions as part of his life-saving treatment.
Friends, family and local business and schools are urged to donate on behalf of Max to raise awareness about the critical role of blood donations to treat Leukaemia patients.
Max’s mother Kristy Robb says her son has shown amazing courage so far.
She is urging locals to give blood so that lives – like that of Max’s – can continue to be saved.
Australian Red Cross Blood Service spokeswoman Teresa Atkins said that blood was vital to the treatment of cancer patients like Max.
“A vital component of blood, platelets, is used to prevent life-threatening bleeding in cancer patients and they need a lot of them to help them through chemotherapy.”
“It takes blood donations from up to four people to make one dose of life-saving platelets and stocks can drop to critical levels quickly.”
Miss Atkins said that more than 34% of all donated blood goes to cancer patients and there are thousands Leukaemia patients who rely of regular blood donations all year round for life saving treatments.
“Donating is very easy; it only takes an hour of your time including free drinks and food, and every donation helps save three lives.”
“Many families are affected by blood cancer, and donating blood is a great way to help them.”
To donate, ring 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au
PHOTO OPPORTUNITY
Port Macquarie Donor Centre – Monday 8 October 2012
Friends and family will donate to show their support for Max
11.30am
For images or further information please contact:
Teresa Atkins, Australian Red Cross Blood Service: 0400 449 479
Unfortunately many people don’t donate blood because they are afraid of needles, so here are some tips to conquer it:
Thanks to the American Red Cross for these tips.
Snaps to Priscilla who commented on our Madeline Harris: Alive and Well post who inspired us to do this post.
A big thank you to melkenny28 for the recent comment on our Donate Blood – Save a Life! post and informing us of the interesting fact that dogs and cat can donate blood too.
Check out this informative video we found on the ABC Behind the News website.
What do you think about animal blood donation?
Is it just as important to protect our fur babies?
Has anyone had their pet donate blood before?
Donor Date Australia wants to give you the reasoning and motivation to donate blood… but sometimes it is more reassuring coming from the experts…. here is a video that will inform you of what blood is, what happens when you lose blood, how you can restore what you have lost, and where blood comes from! Take it away Dr. Chris Magovern
Youtube: ABC News, Dr. Chris Magovern
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UV98iIvcfyc&feature=related
Here at Donor Date Australia we support anything that aims to save lives, which is why we encourage donor donations in any way possible. Whether that be by blood, plasma cells or even organs!
Donor Date Australia would like to offer their support and alliance to Donate4Life, a student initiated campaign that aims to raise awareness about organ donation in NSW. Like blood donation, we feel that this is an extremely important cause, which shares a lot of similarities with our campaign. Everyone of us has the potential to donate organs, just as they have the potential to donate blood, so it is our hope that people realize the good this potential can do. Some people need new organs because of various illnesses and accidents, just like some people need more blood. If you had the potential to help some lives out, wouldn’t you donate your organs after you died?
Donor Date Australia says we certainly would! because you never know if you could be in that situation of need or experience it with someone close to you. As Donate4life says “” it’s never too late to change someone’s life, or in this case, save it.”
Please show your support for Donate4life by following their various pages below:
– http://donate4lifensw.wordpress.com/about/
Press Release
Sydney Monday 17 September, 2012- Donor Date Australia has officially launched their first campaign “Donor Date” and has won the support and encouragement of the Red Cross Australia.
The student led philanthropic group aims to increase blood donations and retain current donors by inspiring all Australians to donate blood with a companion. Their objective is to reach out and motivate the community by informing the public of the urgency to increase blood donations and the impact one donation can make. Evidence shows that one in three people will need blood in Australia but only one in thirty donate. Earlier this year, spanning from February to May, Australia had 27’000 fewer appointments than needed. Donor Date Australia, with the idea of bringing a friend to donate, hopes to double donor numbers, get people involved and instill a sense of community.
This national campaign hopes to inform the public of eligibility guidelines to donate blood and provide the public with information on how to become eligible.
Donor Date Australia hopes to extend further into 2013.
About Donor Date Australia
Donor Date Australia is a non-profit student-led group formed in September 2012. Their primary focus is increasing blood donor numbers and improving the stigma around blood donation. They are currently a nationally based group, with the focused public being the Australian community.
Lucy Kenneally; 0488243175; lucy_kenneally@hotmail.com; @donordate; https://donordateaustralia.wordpress.com/
Earlier this month, South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill and Commonwealth Parliamentary Secretary for Health and Ageing Catherine King joined forces with Leukaemia patient Christopher Allen to open a Regent Blood Bank in Adelaide. Before this centre was opened, Adelaide had nine donor banks. The new Regent Centre boasts the largest blood donations centre in Australia, as well as a prime position in Adelaide’s CBD, making it convenient for all to access. Not only does this blood bank have top-of-the-line facilities and extended open hours, but it also has made sure they can hold a larger capacity of donors.
“Ms King said the opening of the new centre would help the Blood Service collect the 1.4 million blood donations needed this year across Australia and enable it to meet the projected growth in demand for blood and blood products.” (Health.gov.au, 2012)
This project has cost the Australian Government an estimated more than “$550 million” for this year. Their role in this project is to “fully fund the Blood Service to collect, process, and distribute blood and blood products for all Australians.” (Health.gov.au, 2012)
This project has provided the tools for increased blood donations, lets hope that people take advantage of this positive initiative and go and donate. All we can hope is for the government to inject the funds into more donor centres like this one in all prominent cities around Australia!
Unknown, (2012) “Adelaides regent blood donor centre officially opened’, Department of Health & Ageing, 5 September 2012
http://www.health.gov.au/internet/ministers/publishing.nsf/Content/mr-yr12-ck-ck044.htm
Every year the Australian Defence Force holds a blood donation challenge to personnel from the Army, Navy, Airforce and those who work in the Defence Public Services. This challenge runs for 14 weeks, from the 1st of September until the 30th of November. Their aim is to by defence sector, make the greatest number of blood donations.
Critical injury is no doubt prevalent when in a war zone. These heroes stand up and fight to defend our country, we owe it to these men and women to stand up and donate so we too can do our part and protect them.
If you want to help, you’re invited! Those who are not in the army have the opportunity to help those who help defend us, by donating yourself and having your blood donation count towards the sector of your choice.
Private Nathan Whittington was a soldier in the Australian army who lost his leg in a boating accident. He has was asked to be the Australian Army blood Ambassador for this years Army challenge.
“After my accident I knew I could move forward because I had the support of the Army, my mates and my family.
“I was fortunate enough to not need blood and the doctors had blood there, ready, on standby, to support me if I needed it.”
(Defence.gov.au, 2012)
The aim of this challenge is to support one another and encourage people to donate. Because one day YOU may need blood, a FAMILY MEMBER may need blood, or even one of your MATES!
Lets help our mate, take a donor date and FIGHT to save lives.
Defence.gov.au (2012) “Army’s blood donation drive begins”, Australian Government: Department of Defence, 13 Sept 2012.
http://www.defence.gov.au/special_events/blood_challenge/news/sep/0913f.htm
Donor Date Australia 