LIFEBLOOD’S Mobile Blood Donor Centre is back in Sale, and locals are being encouraged to contribute.
The facility, temporarily located at the Sale Greyhound Club, is accepting donations of blood from new and past volunteers.
Collections person and enrolled nurse, Vanessa Palmer, is managing the centre during its stay in Wellington Shire.
Ms Palmer said it was important that people donate blood because there is “such a big need for it”.
Lifeblood estimates it needs about 33,000 donations each week, and 1.6 million per year, to meet the demand for blood and blood products.
“So the more donors, the better,” Ms Palmer said.
Prospective donors who visit the centre are required to fill-out a questionnaire and undergo a “mini health-check”.
Once they are deemed eligible, donors are then taken to the collections area, where nurses perform a phlebotomy.
This procedure typically takes about five to 10 minutes; some donors have their blood-bag filled in as little as three.
When asked what she enjoyed most about her work, Ms Palmer said she enjoyed talking to donors and finding out why they like to donate.
“And often, it’s because a loved one or someone close, a good friend has needed blood products, and that often inspires people to come,” Ms Palmer said.
“And they have a great sense of, I suppose, satisfaction that they’re helping someone.”
Photo: Tom Parry
One donor who contributed their blood to the centre was Jane Gordon, a Woodside resident who has been donating to Lifeblood since 2006.
Ms Gordon generally travels to Sale, and works donating into her schedule whenever the centre visits the area.
“It’s just something simple I can do,” Ms Gordon said.
She also carries the O Negative blood type, which is universal – meaning, it can be given to anybody regardless of their blood type, without fear of a reaction from the body.
“It inspires me (to donate) more, because I know that it’s more useful for people – makes me feel a bit special,” Ms Gordon said.
Another O Negative donor who contributed at the centre was Josef Sestokas, making his 77th donation to Lifeblood.
“It’s just such a necessary blood group for people who need it …. I might need it one day too,” Mr Sestokas said.
It is estimated that one in 10 of Lifeblood’s donors carry the O Negative blood type.
A resident of Sale, Mr Sestokas has been donating blood since he was a teenager, and previously made his donations at the donor centre when it was based in Macalister Street.
Mr Sestokas believes it’s important to donate blood because it saves lives.
“Can’t get along without it – hospitals need it, people that are ill need it, people that have been in trauma need it,” he said.
Lifeblood is a branch of the Australian Red Cross that provides donations of blood, plasma and breast milk to hospitals and health-care services across the country.
The non-profit organisation currently has 502,019 active blood donors, representing about one in every 30 people across Australia – a figure considerably short of the one-in-three people who will need blood or blood products during their lifetime.
The mobile blood donor centre is managed by staff from the Traralgon donor centre, who travel to Sale every three months.
Locals have just one more week to donate blood in Sale, with the centre leaving town next Friday, October 14.
To register as a blood donor, phone 13 14 95 or visit www.lifeblood.com.au or get along to the greyhound track.
