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/
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 really appreciates all the support our followers are giving us. The fact that we are reaching people and encouraging and motivating Australians to help one another is beyond anything we could have imagined. The fact our mission has extended outside of the realm of Sydney and not only across Australia, but to friends from overseas we are speechless.
We wanted to share our gratitude to you all on behalf of ourselves and those you are helping. To those who are donating you are truly an inspiration to us all.
Thank you!
Amanda Ord, 25, Melbourne
“Made my first blood donation today! Wasn’t sure what to expect and I was a little nervous but it all went so well. I was there for about an hour all up but the actually donation bit only took 8 minutes! It didn’t hurt at all which pleasantly surprised me. I just took advantage of sitting back, reading a magazine and indulging in the free post-donation snacks! Feeling good that something so easy could help save someone’s life. Definitely going back in 3 months for round 2 🙂 big thanks to Donor date for the inspiration.”
Carly-Anne Kenneally, 25, Sydney
“YAY all jabbed was so easy. I re-booked for 12 weeks and my partner is coming next time too!!!”
When was the last time you can say that you committed a selfless act? That you saved a life? That you were a hero?
Well the most simple way to do this is donate blood and to potentially help save a stranger.
You probably didn’t save the lives of Quinn and Brennah, but some did. And because of these selfless people Quinn and Brennah get to walk on this earth.
This is Quinn’s story, he needed blood transfusions after being born with a massive tumour on his leg.
This is Brennah’s story, when she was seven she was car accident that left her in hospital for six months, needing many blood transfusions.
Stories like these inspire Donor Date Australia to do more, and encourage people to grab a friend, donate blood and save a life.
We all know the feeling of chaos and limited time. Whether it is working to a deadline, family and friend obligations, relationship qualms or even the mere fact you don’t have an umbrella and getting completely saturated is the last thing you want to be doing. Life is chaotic but it is still life! Excuses are easy, life isn’t! Blood donation gives the ability for people to keep living life! One hour of your week is a small price to pay.
“Stop giving excuses, Start giving life”.
Iron deficiency is the most common deficiency in the world. This can be a problem for blood donation due to the fact you can be turned away from donating blood if your count is too low. 10% of people who attempt to donate are delivered the unexpected news that their iron count is too low. There are many reasons why you may have an iron deficiency, but it is a problem you can prevent and fix.
“Iron is important for our bodies because it converts food into energy, transports oxygen around the body and helps fight infection.” (Burrell, 2008)
Warning signs of having an iron deficiency can include fatigue, weakness, pale skin, chest pain, dizziness, irritability, numbness or coldness in your hands and feet, trouble breathing, a fast heartbeat, and headaches. If you experience any of these symptoms regularly you should go and see your doctor and get tested.
You want to get on top of iron depletion as it can result in “anaemia- which can take up to a year to recover from using supplements. Symptoms of anaemia include weakness, headaches and heart palpitations.” (Burrell, 2008)
Diet choices are what we need to look at to prevent iron depletion. Below are some suggestions on what can cause iron deficiency. If concerned go to your local practitioner and they can give you further dietary advice.
Women:
Men:
Adult:
Vegetarians:
An alternate option is iron supplements, or “you can go the extra mile and increase the absorption of iron in your body by combining iron rich foods with Vitamin C rich foods such as citrus fruit, tomatoes and other red and yellow fruits and vegetables.” (Burrell, 2008)
Below is a table giving an indication of how much iron you are consuming in your food!
Iron in food |
mg iron |
| 200g beef steak |
7 |
| 1 cup beef mince |
5 |
| 1 chicken breast fillet |
2 |
| 1 fish fillet |
1 |
| 1/2 cup baked beans |
2.2 |
| 2 slices grain bread |
2 |
| Breakfast cereal with iron |
3 |
| 6 oysters |
3.5 |
| 1/2 cup Spinach |
0.6 |
Daily iron requirements |
mg iron |
| Babies (7-12 months) |
11 |
| Children 1-3 years |
9 |
| Children 4-8 years |
10 |
| Children 9-13 years |
8 |
| Boys 14-18 years |
11 |
| Girls 14-18 years |
15 |
| Men 18+ years |
8 |
| Women 18-50 years |
18 |
| Women 50+ |
8 |
| Pregnant women |
27 |
| Breastfeeding women |
9 |
Source:
To read more on iron deficiency please check out Susie Burrell’s article: http://www.taste.com.au/news+features/articles/1184/iron+out+tiredness
Fact: Australia needs to triple the number of blood donations per week!
We urge you to help your fellow mate and bring a date. If everyone brought a friend or two each time they donated blood, numbers would rise and so would the number of lives … saved.
Donor Date Australia 