Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is calling for urgent blood donations as reserves face significant pressure following the Easter break.
More than 13,000 blood donations are required between March 31 and April 10 to ensure blood is readily available for accidents and emergencies and for thousands of ill patients.
Lifeblood spokesperson, Jemma Falkenmire said that blood and plasma is especially needed leading up to public holidays as blood donors usually take a break.
“We only have three per cent of the population who donate regularly so it’s not a large number of people. At the same time, we often see demand for blood leading into public holidays as hospitals stock supplies of blood,” Miss Falkenmire said.
“We do see accidents and emergencies often increase over holiday periods.”
According to Lifeblood, one in three Australians will need blood and a new blood donor is needed every five minutes.
O negative blood is universal and can be used in emergencies. Miss Falkenmire said Lifeblood has seen less people with A blood type donating.
“Across all three blood types the demand for blood is the highest it’s ever been,” Miss Falkenmire said.
Blood donor recipient Acacia McCrindle said that the blood transfusions she received as an infant were life saving.
“It would’ve been very dangerous for me to lose blood because I was so small and young. Also because I had chemotherapy, my blood cells were very damaged so I needed healthy blood transfusions,” Miss McCrindle said.
If I couldn’t access blood I would’ve died.
“Even though I was so young and don’t remember it, it is quite cool and humbling that so many strangers I don’t know and will never know saved my life.”
Miss McCrindle was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma, a type of newborn cancer that prevented her from breathing properly due to it being in her neck. She has required over 100 surgeries and many transfusions to sustain her whilst undertaking chemotherapy.
Thirty-four per cent of all blood donations treat cancer and blood diseases. Blood, plasma and platelets can be vital during emergencies.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood expenditure on fresh blood products has increased by 77.4 million since 2020, indicating an increasing demand for blood.
The shelf life of blood is 42 days meaning hospitals cannot stockpile supplies.
“The demand for blood is the highest it’s been in about 10 years and demand for plasma is the highest it’s ever been,” Ms Falkenmire said.
In a major accident, it can take up to 100 blood donations to save one life.
