Give blood, give plasma, share life, and share often.

Today for World Blood Donor Day, we celebrate and thank all voluntary blood donors worldwide. With one in three people needing a blood transfusion or blood product in their lifetime, Australia needs more than 29,000 donations a week to meet demand.

What can you do?

  1. Be a voluntary blood donor and an inspiration to others.
  2. Commit to being a regular donor and giving blood throughout the year.
  3. Encourage your friends and family to become regular blood donors.
  4. Volunteer with the blood service to reach out to your community, provide care to donors, and help manage blood donation sessions/drives.
  5. Find out your blood type and register as a blood donor.

Who can give blood?

Most people can give blood if they are in good health. However, there are some basic requirements you meet to become a blood donor. Below are basic eligibility guidelines:

  1. Aged between 18 and 65 (check with your local state and territory)
  2. Weigh at least 50kgs
  3. You must be in good health at the time you donate. You cannot donate blood if you have a cold, flu, sore throat, stomach bug, or other infection.
  4. If you recently had a body piercing or a tattoo, you must wait until six months after your procedure to donate blood.
  5. Wait 24 hours after a dental procedure before donating, or for major dental surgery, you must wait one month.
  6. You must not donate blood if you do not meet the minimum haemoglobin level for blood donation - a test will be administered before you donate. 
  7. If you have travelled to areas where mosquito-borne infections are endemic (e.g. malaria, dengue and Zika virus), this may result in a temporary deferral.

You must not give blood if you:

  1. engaged in “at risk” sexual activity in the past 12 months
  2. have ever had a positive test for HIV (AIDS virus)
  3. have ever injected recreational drugs.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

It is not advisable to donate blood while breastfeeding. Following childbirth, the deferral period is at least nine months (as for pregnancy) and until three months after your baby is significantly weaned.

For more information about donating blood in Australia, visit www.lifeblood.com.au

Information sources:

https://www.who.int/campaigns/world-blood-donor-day/who-can-give-blood