World Blood Donor Day-by George Somasundaram

George doing his 250th donation

Source:Dæhæna – Monthly e-Newsletter – Radio 4EB Sri Lankan Group – Brisbane

The World Blood Donor day 2021 will be celebrated on 14 June. It commemorates the birthday of Austrian Karl Landsteiner, the founder of modern blood transfusion.

Blood donations in Australia are under the auspices of the Australian Red Cross, now named Lifeblood. It takes only one hour to give blood, but it could save someone’s life. Posters at the centre indicate that each donation saves 3 lives.

You may be able to donate Blood, Plasma or Platelets and your blood type determines the best form of donation. Those who have certain antibodies such as Malaria are also permitted only Plasma or Platelet donations. Blood has a short shelf life (roughly 6 weeks). Therefore, donations throughout the year are needed to meet the needs
of the patients. Donations can be done every 12 weeks. The extraction takes 10-15 minutes but the visit to the ARC Blood Bank may last up to an hour including pre-donation questionnaire and a consultation with a nurse. Plasma can be donated every 2 weeks and Platelets can be donated every 7 days to a maximum of 24 times a year. For both, the extraction takes about 45 minutes.
Many Australians are regular donors. I had the privilege of meeting a Queenslander who had notched up 650 donations, a true legend. All donors experience a sense of great satisfaction by helping fellow humans. Please call Australian Red Cross Blood Donor Service (Lifeblood) on 131 495 and take that step. More information at
https://www.donateblood.com.au/.

George Somasundaram
George Somasundaram is a retired Accountant who donates his time as a JP, Meals on Wheels and other voluntary activities.