You’re now viewing the Blood Donor website. Visit:
- Home
- Why donate blood
- Who can give
- I'm ready to donate
- About blood
- News
- 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.
- You can donate double platelets – helping twice as many people.
- Platelets have a shelf life of only 5 days.
Donors often tell us that hearing about the recipients they help is one of the biggest motivators to continue giving blood.
The Blood Service would like to hear from anyone who has been helped by donated blood. Maybe it was you or a loved one who received a blood transfusion? It could have been during cancer treatment, surgery, child birth or after an accident, or you might require on-going transfusions to remain healthy and well.
This is your opportunity to thank the selfless, anonymous, volunteer blood donors that ensure there is always blood there for patients in need.
In 200 words or less please tell us your story of how donated blood helped you or a loved one.
We welcome you to attach a photo (optional) to accompany your story.
- News
- About Blood
- I'm ready to donate
- Who can give
- Why donate blood
