- Australia has one of the safest blood supply systems in the world.
- You can donate whole blood every 12 weeks.
- O negative blood is universal and can be given to anyone.
- Plasma and platelet donations can be made every 2 weeks.
- Every whole blood donation can save 3 lives.
- 1 in 3 people will need blood. Only 1 in 30 gives blood.
- Australia needs over 27,000 blood donations every week.
- 470mL of blood is collected when you give whole blood.
- Within 24-48 hours of giving blood, your blood volume is completely restored.
- Giving blood only takes about an hour.
- Plasma donations can be used to make 17 different products.
- Red blood cells have a shelf life of 42 days.
- 34% of donated blood goes towards helping cancer patients.
- You can start giving blood at 16.
- The blood service has been collecting blood for over 80 years.
- Many donor centres have a courtesy bus.
- You can donate double platelets – helping twice as many people.
- Platelets have a shelf life of only 5 days.
Three Red Letters - Artists
We have ten celebrities involved with the Three Red Letters project. Not only have they created a personal design influenced by their own lives and experiences, many of them have also selected their own blood type as the letter, which introduces an even deeper level of connection to their final art work.
Visit each designer’s name to see their design and read more about them.
- Akira Isogawa
- Bettino Liano
- Wayne Cooper
- Gordon Bennett
- Curtis Stone
- Chris Judd
- Jude Bolton
- Simmone Jade Mackinnon
- Sun Park
- Ken Done
A is for Akira
Akira Isogawa
Born in Kyoto, Japan, and moving to Australia in 1986, Akira Isogawa has become a diverse and celebrated Australian designer, expanding into fashion, textiles and costumes. He has achieved international recognition for his clever, contemporary designs, even being acknowledged in 2005 as an Australian Legend, and appearing on a commemorative postage stamp.
In true Akira fashion, he has drawn inspiration from contemporary Japanese design in creating this exquisite letter ‘A’, which stands for Akira.
The unmistakable O of Bettina Liano
Bettina Liano
Bettina Liano is a leading light in Australian fashion. After launching in the 1980’s from truly humble beginnings, she likens her journey into creating a brand of choice as ‘travelling down the yellow brick road’. Women around Australia have been wearing her revolutionary denim since 1990, which is why her ‘O’ letter made from denim is unmistakably ‘Bettina’.
A distinctive Wayne Cooper design for the letter B
Wayne Cooper
Wayne Cooper is one of Australia’s fashion industry icons. With roots from London’s West End, he launched into Australian fashion in 1986. Known for putting on spectacular displays at fashion events, Wayne has a distinctive flair for creating fashion pieces for women, men and kids, as well as shoes, bags and accessories. As with all his creations, Wayne has another distinctive design – this time for the letter ‘B’.
“A is the first letter of the alphabet and Aborigine"
Gordon Bennett
Gordon is a graduate from Queensland College of Art and has exhibited his work all round the world, including Sydney, Venice, Kwangju, Shanghai, New York, The UK, Germany, Austria, Prague, Italy and Canada. Gordon used the three colours of the Aboriginal flag (black, yellow and red) to make visible the associations between race and language.
He chose the letter ‘A’ representing the word ‘Aborigine’. The A also represents the alphabet and the foundation of our language: how we shape and view our world.
Curtis Stone has blood type O
Curtis Stone
Curtis Stone is an Australian chef, presenter and author. Stone’s signature style is simple, organic, seasonal produce; keeping everything as close to how mother nature created it. This is clearly reflected in the letter ‘O’ Curtis designed. Grass Roots could be its title: simple processes like tilling the land and being as close as possible to that which sustains us.
The letter also represents Curtis’s blood type and the surprise and energy that Curtis prefers to be his default setting. “One thing you really can’t manufacture is passion. I mean when you’re passionate about something it really shows”.
“B is for ‘B-eing’ and our existence”
Chris Judd
Renowned for his strength, vision and athleticism and profile in Aussie Rules football, Chris Judd has led a remarkable sporting life. Early recognition for his talent and his fairness made Chris something of a unique sportsman when he landed the Brownlow Medal at just 21 years old.
Chris’ letter B represents our existence, “B-eing”, and how we are affected by a pull of forces that are unseen but very real and powerful. For example, the moon’s pull on the tides can affect everything from gross national product to what type of fish you’ll catch for tea that day.
Jude Bolton has blood type A
Jude Bolton
Jude Bolton, known as ‘Hey Jude’ by his fans and is an acclaimed Aussie Rules football player for the Sydney Swans. On field he has a reputation as a tough, determined midfielder, yet he’s regularly nominated as one of the best and fairest. In 2007 Jude was presented with the AFL Community Leadership Award in recognition of his contribution to charities and extensive work with the homeless.
He has designed a letter ‘A’ which is his own blood type, in the colours which bring him so much fame.
Simmone Jade Mackinnon has blood type O
Simmone Jade Mackinnon
Born in Brisbane, actor Simmone Jade Mackinnon is a favourite Australian star of screen and stage, perhaps best known for her six-year role in McLeod’s Daughters in which she appeared in 153 episodes. She is much admired by her fans and regularly nominated for silver and gold Logies in the Most Popular category. She has also been named an RSPCA superhero ‘for giving love, respect and support to all animals’.
No surprise then that she would support the Blood Service by designing the letter ‘O’, which is her own blood type. Simmone’s design uses imagery of film screen-printed onto cloth.
Sun Park has blood type A
Sun Park
Sun Park, one of the long-term and founding members of the extremely popular kids group Hi-5, has designed her letter very specifically. Incorporating the flag of South Korea, Sun explains that the flag represents qualities that are excellent guidelines for living a good life. Just some of the characters represent: humanity, courtesy, intelligence, righteousness, vitality, wisdom, fertility and justice.
She says that the symbols hold great meaning for the way she lives her life. Each symbol represented on the flag is multi-layered and Sun chose the letter A because it’s her blood type.
All blood types inspire Ken Done
Ken Done
Ken Done’s name is synonymous with Sydney: the city’s laid-back character and colour. His art collections have been displayed world wide and are recognized for their unique designs. Ken has worked on canvas, metal, 3D, and even designed space for the Garden Restaurant at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney.
Ken used all three blood types (A, B and O) for inspiration and his interpretation is a fitting analogy for the nature of blood donation: all blood is red but is comprised of different components.