By April Murphy
The Australian Red Cross has put a massive call out for residents to donate blood. The association requires 22,000 donors in the next fortnight. All blood types are needed, but there is a particular urgency for O-, A-, A+ and B-.
“It only takes an hour to give blood, but it could change someone’s life,” says the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.
The starting eligibility criteria to give blood is that you are aged between 18 to 76 years old, healthy and weigh over 50 kilograms.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Website has an eligibility quiz for prospective donors. You are not eligible to give blood if you answer yes to any of the following questions:
.Have you had a Tattoo in the last four months?
.Are you pregnant, or have you just given birth?
.Do you have a heart condition?
.Are you low in iron?
.Have you lived in the UK for a total of six months or more between the 1st of January 1980 and the 1st of December 1996?
.Have you engaged in any “at-risk” sexual activity in the last three months?
.Have you injected recreational drugs in the past five years?
.Have you gone overseas in the past four months?
The website also answers any questions you may have about your eligibility. There are common myths that surround the criteria for giving blood. “Can I give blood if I have had acupuncture?” Yes, you can. “I have allergies. Can I donate?” Yes, you can.
The Australian Red Cross states that one-third of blood donations help treat people with cancer.
Donated blood can be made into 22 different medical treatments. People of all walks of life need blood products. Some need it to get them through a serious event in their lives, like cancer or complicated pregnancy.
Others have medical conditions, which mean they need blood products regularly to stay alive or be healthy.
You can book your appointment to give blood at https://www.donateblood.com.au/donate or download the app. You can also find your local donation centre on the website.