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.
Tell us your story - terms and conditions
The Blood Service may use some of all of your contribution to "Tell us your story" on its website or in promotional publications or material.
If you have indicated that you do not wish to be identified in any publication of your story by the Blood Service, you should not include in your story any unique details that may allow you to be identified by third parties. If you have indicated that you do not wish to be identified in any publication of your story, the Blood Service will not publish your identity but cannot guarantee that publication of details which you have provided cannot be used by third parties to identify you.
The Blood Service may edit your story in the interests of brevity or relevance but will use its best endeavours not to alter the meaning or inference of statements made by you.
Although the Blood Service welcomes and values all contributions, not all stories submitted will be published. The Blood Service will choose which stories to publish at its discretion.
- News
- About Blood
- I'm ready to donate
- Who can give
- Why donate blood
