The chronic health condition that can help save lives

Chronic health conditions usually don’t come with many benefits, but for people living with haemochromatosis there’s a silver lining that can help them save up to twelve lives a year!

Haemochromatosis is the most common genetic condition in Australia. The condition causes the body to store dangerously high levels of iron. To avoid long term damage and keep their iron levels in a normal range, people with haemochromatosis need to have blood drawn regularly — that’s where Lifeblood can help.

In Australia, people living with haemochromatosis can donate blood every 12 weeks as part of their treatment plan. There are already 15,000 donors with this condition who donate at Lifeblood. Together, they’re saving up to 111,000 lives every year!

Stop good blood going to waste

While many people living with haemochromatosis choose to donate blood as part of their treatment, many others have their blood drawn at medical facilities. This blood must be discarded, resulting in the loss of up to 73,000 donations per year.

In 2024, Lifeblood researchers surveyed over 4000 donors with haemochromatosis to uncover what was preventing more people with the condition from giving blood. Surprisingly, around 40% of the donors surveyed didn’t know their blood could be used to save lives.

While not everyone will be eligible to donate blood or live near a donor centre, our researchers found that awareness was the biggest barrier preventing donation. The primary factor deciding whether a person living with haemochromatosis donated blood was a recommendation from their doctor.

Let’s spread the word

We’re now working closely with The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and Haemochromatosis Australia to encourage people with haemochromatosis to speak to their doctor about donating at Lifeblood, and you can help!

If you or someone you know has haemochromatosis, join the Hemochromatosis Australia Lifeblood Team, help raise awareness for haemochromatosis donation and have your donations count toward the national tally.

To donate, please call 13 14 95, or follow the links below to book online.