UTAS staff, students praised as lifesavers for their 1572 blood donations last year

University of Tasmania staff and students gave enough blood last year to save more than 4500 lives.

UTAS staff members Tony Graddon, left, Jane Kovacs, and Dr Andy McCulloch. UTAS staff and students made 1572 donations in 2019 to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

AUSTRALIAN Red Cross has awarded University of Tasmania staff and students a big red gong for the quantity of blood they have donated.

Tasmania University Union president Braydon Broad said university personnel who were part of “Tasmania’s highest donating ARC Lifeblood team” had given enough blood last year to save more than 4500 lives.

Among the university’s most prolific donors is Jane Kovacs, an administration staff member who has been donating plasma, instead of blood, since 2012.

Ms Kovacs said plasma donors visited Lifeblood blood banks as frequently as every two weeks, compared to three monthly visits for blood donors.

She said plasma also took longer to take from the body compared to blood, up to an hour each visit, and that it “wasn’t for everyone”, but it could be put to many more uses.

“It’s a good feeling to know that you can be having a huge impact on a very sick person’s life,’’ she said.

UTAS personnel last year logged 1572 donations.

“The number of lives saved through the Lifeblood Teams program continues to grow each year and we thank them on behalf of our recipients,” Lifeblood Group Account Manager for Tasmania Ann Harvey said.