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CHRIS R O B E R t S Every year we hear stories of how important it is to donate blood – we know blood donations save lives. Local man Chris Roberts has the phenomenal record of donating blood to the Red Cross Blood Service for 46 years, ensuring he’s doing his bit for our community …
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i Chris. How long have you been about 2 million people have donated in the last 10 years. donating blood to the Red Cross? Of these, there are records of 4,057 donors donating I began donating whole blood in over 200 times; 1,320 in NSW and 4 in the 2444 Port 1965 in Sydney, walking in off the Macquarie postcode. About 1 in 500 donors reach 200 street at the age of 19 years. I’ve since donations, so it is something pretty special. donated every three months for 46 Why do you donate … and what do you do to keep years, with 215 whole blood donations. yourself in a fit and healthy condition so you CAN Have you ever had to miss a donation for any continue to support the Red Cross Blood Donor reason? Centres? In 1982 I contracted Hepatitis and could To volunteer to donate is a service to the not donate for two years. I also missed community ... one donation, because I did not Part of my lifestyle routine is getting remember the date or time. Today enough sleep, good nutrition, no I began I keep accurate records and smoking or alcohol, keeping an donating alternate between arms for active body and mind and having le blood in o h w donating. good medical treatment. 19 65 in Sydney How often can an Apart from this, good genetics, ce n si e ... I’v y er appointment be made to ev ounces of luck, drinking plenty ed at n do r give blood? of water – and having the desire three monthshfo Appointments can be made to donate. 46 years , wit od 215 whole blo every three months on the What’s the process if you donations.” blood service number. decide to become a blood How long do you plan to donor? What happens when you continue with the donations? walk into the centre? You’ve been a regular donor for so After walking into the centre, you fill out many years now, which is truly inspiring! a form with a number of questions of personal My last medical in October gave me a clean health history. An interview is conducted, and a small sample check, so I will continue to donate until I am 81 years old of blood is taken to check haemoglobin levels and blood if I can. After 81, I’ll need a medical certificate each year to pressure. continue with the donations. There’s a review of the questions before signing the Do you know of any other individuals who have document. Then, a bed is provided, and you are connected donated blood products as consistently as you over to a machine that takes 500 ml of whole blood in less the years? than ten minutes. A man from Cessnock, NSW, was credited with a world A small bandage is applied, then you have a small rest, record 231 whole blood donations in December 2009 over and light food and a drink is provided. a period of 55 years of donating, at the age of 75 years. Thanks Chris. Information I’ve received from the Red Cross states that Interview by Jo Atkins.
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STATISTICS PROVIDED BY THE RED CROSS BLOOD SERVICE: How many donations of blood/blood products were made by Australians to the Red Cross in the past 12 months? Of the more than 1.3 million Australian blood donations made in the past 12 months, about 400,000 were made in New South Wales. The breakdown of donations for NSW is as follows: 260,000 blood, 130,000 plasma and 10,000 platelets. How many donations is the Red Cross seeking across NSW during 2014? We’re looking again for 400,000 (that’s an estimate, based on current hospital demand, but is adjusted as hospital needs adjust). How many individual donors provided blood/blood products to the Red Cross in NSW in 2013? We have 504,000 blood donors nationally, and around a third of them are in NSW - 166,000. (They donate around 188,000 litres of blood each year). How many Red Cross Blood Donor Centres are there across NSW? There are 24 fixed donor centres and 10 mobile units. On average, how many people donate blood/blood products at the Port Macquarie Centre each year? We collect around 12,000 donations in Port Macquarie each year. How many regular donors are there in the Port Macquarie area? We have around 3,000 regular donors in the area. On average, how many litres of blood/blood products are collected at the Port Macquarie Centre each month? Around 5,600 litres of blood flow through Port Macquarie each and every month. Call 13 95 96 to find out how you can donate and to find your nearest Red Cross Blood Centre, or visit www.donateblood.com. au If you want to see whether you’re able to become a donor, there’s an eligibility quiz which takes just a minute or two on the website.