Aspiring comedian and passionate plasma donor, Ashleigh is a Group Account Manager for The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood and works locally at the Bundoora and Ringwood Donor Centre's.
With a background in communications and languages, Ashleigh’s approach to talking about blood donations is founded in education and awareness of the importance and processes and myth-busting the many misconceptions surrounding it.
Ashleigh will be having a chat with Wendy on Big Brekky around 8am about the importance of The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, and how important it is to donate.
“There’s a lot more to be a donor than meets the eye. People don’t often know the true power that is running through our veins.”
1 in 3 Australians will need blood products during their lifetime.
There are a lot of misconceptions about who receives blood products – with people often thinking road accidents or trauma cases. And whilst they do need blood products, often unexpectantly, it’s our oncology patients and people with blood diseases or immune deficiencies that make up the vast majority of recipients.
The Australia Red Cross Lifeblood are always in need of new and regular donors. The demand for blood products is at a point where 33,000 donations are needed every week to meet hospital requirements.
But with only 1 in 30 people currently donating – that’s an enormous pressure and strain for those that need it.
Who, where, when and what people can donate are always the top questions.
Well, more people can donate than ever before.
This comes at the result of a lot of recent eligibility changes. - including travel and tattoo wait periods and people who take regular medications. And it’s not just blood you can donate, there’s plasma (your fierce antibodies and white cells), platelets (small but mighty clotters), breast milk and also micro-biome (that’s right – POO!).
There's more to Lifeblood than blood!!!!
Lifeblood is funded by Australian governments to provide life-giving blood, plasma, transplantation and biological products for world-leading health outcomes.
We serve over 25 million people stretched across 7 million square kilometres. We’re united through the power of humanity to build a healthier nation.
Our donors are our lifeblood. They’re indispensable and inspirational. Without them, we can’t deliver the services that are critical to the health of our nation and their generosity drives us to continually improve our world-class capability.
We’ll always be there for Australia. Not just with blood, but through our clinical excellence, commitment to education and our ongoing investment in research and development. We’re a team of experts who deliver safe, high-quality products time and time again.
We work tirelessly to develop innovative solutions, whether it be for blood, organ matching, tissue typing, breast milk or other life-giving biological products.
Lifeblood is a division of the Australian Red Cross Society, and we subscribe fully to its humanitarian principles. However, we’re separate from the humanitarian arm of the Red Cross and our blood operations are funded by Australian governments, not monetary donations.
Head to www.lifeblood.com.au to register to be a blood donor today, find your closest donor centre and check your eligibility. “People who need blood products don’t have a choice, but we have a choice to give it.”
Life giving products for life-changing outcomes.
Some helpful links:
Eligibility Quiz: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/blood/eligibility/quiz Where to donate: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/donor-centre What can you donate?: https://www.lifeblood.com.au/blood/making-your-donatio Instagram handle: @lifebloodau Facebook handle: @Lifebloodau