- 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.
Blood saves beautiful twins
29/04/2010
One of the best things about working at the Blood Service is meeting recipients.
And these two pint sized babies were a delightful pair to show off at the Clarke Street Donor Centre recently.
Twins Jocelyn and Mackenzie McLaughlin-Splatt needed blood transfusions when they were born at just 26 weeks in August last year.
Back then they only weighed just under a kilogram each. But, thanks to blood donors, Jocelyn and Mackenzie are now a healthy 'double trouble' bundle of joy who starred on Channel Seven this week as part of an exclusive news story to help encourage more donors to give blood.
Their dad David is now a regular blood donor, and as soon as mum Tracy is able, she'll be giving blood back big time.
Operations Manager for Vic/Tas Cathy Hockings also starred in the story and couldn't resist a hold of little Jocelyn.