Giving blood saves lives
It has been more than 20 years since I have given blood.
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It has been more than 20 years since I have given blood.
I feel guilty about the fact that I haven’t made a big effort to donate blood but I thought DoSomething Day was a great opportunity to get back into the habit.
I joined 14 other News Corp colleagues, including retail marketing executive Sarah Watson, at the Australian Red Cross Blood donor centre in Hunter St in Sydney CBD today to donate 500ml of blood each.
The centre is warm and welcoming with modern, comfortable facilities and a variety of food and drinks, including milkshakes, sandwiches and chocolate slices to help you recover. It’s a far cry from the stale biscuits and a cuppa that I was offered the last time I gave blood as a uni student in Auckland.
Getting ready for your donation is a straightforward process — register online, fill out a form and answer a few questions at the centre. Then if you meet all the requirements, you just lie back in a comfy chair listening to music or watching TV while you give blood.
It only takes 10 minutes out of your day but it feels good to know that your contribution will save lives and that you are doing something good for the community with your workmates.
Winter is traditionally a slow period for blood donations, especially as sickness can rule a lot of people out and there has been an urgent demand for O-negative blood.
Every week the Australian Red Cross needs more than 27,000 blood donations. Blood has a short shelf life so regular donations from groups are vital for patients in need.
The blood service runs Red25, a group donation program that encourages workplaces to give blood regularly. If your company wants to get involved, go to donateblood.com.au/red25
or if you are an individual go to donateblood.com.au
An initiative of the DoSomething Foundation, NewsLocal and Your Local Club, DoSomething Day seeks to celebrate our volunteers and highlight those who are giving back by spreading kindness in their community.
In general, you should be able to give blood if you:
are aged between 16-70 years;
weigh more than 50kg;
are in good health and not suffering from a cold, flu or other illness at the time of the donation or in the previous 7 days have not been in the UK for a total of six months or more between 1980 and 1996;
haven’t had a tattoo in the last six months
Check donateblood.com.au/eligibility#can-i-give-blood to see if you are eligible