Millicent Spencer
Residents in Bundoora and surrounds have rolled up their sleeves to donate blood over the festive season.
Between December 19 – January , 1275 donors gave the lifesaving gift of blood, plasma, and platelets at the Bundoora Lifeblood centre.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood spokeswoman Rachel Wells said this figure alone shows the local community really got into the spirit of giving over the holiday period.
“It was particularly wonderful to see 23 generous donors turn up on Christmas morning to donate blood at Bundoora, with the donor centre staffed by Lifeblood team members who also volunteered to give up their Christmas morning to come into work. It is certainly the season of giving,” she said.
“We are hoping this generous spirit of giving continues throughout the remainder of January, as we still need more than 1700 people a day to donate blood and plasma over the remainder of the month.”
“Every 18 seconds this holiday season someone in Australia will need donated blood.”
Lifeblood executive director of donor services Cath Stone said the organisation was buoyed by the response from Australians to its Christmas blood blitz.
“Australians have rallied to donate blood over the festive season and support patients who rely on blood products for their life-saving treatments,” she said.
“Donating blood takes about an hour but it’s a gift that will make a real difference to a patient’s life.”
You can donate blood through the Lifeblood Bundoora Donor Centre located at 1/21 Copernicus Crescent, Bundoora. The centre is open between 7am-8pm Monday- Friday, and 7.30am – 4.45pm on weekends.
