Vital reads
Giving life is vital, and so are these top reads. View the latest Lifeblood news, stats and facts about breast milk, microbiome, plasma and blood donation, and more.
Sure, there are some impressive record holders throughout history, but how many of them can claim to have saved up to 2.4 million babies?
How many litres of tomato sauce does a nation use when dressing their post-donation baked goods?
Steven had been on the transplant wait list for almost 10 years when he received the call. A compatible kidney had been found. What followed was a complex exchange process involving six surgeries, three donor kidneys and a new ground-breaking medical treatment.
It’s been over a year since Amira underwent a life-saving heart operation. Today, she’s back doing what she loves, spending time with family, playing with her children and enjoying life.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s life-changing donor stool product has received Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) approval for use in patients with a potentially life-threatening bowel i
25 September 2024
Whether it’s tackling everyday chores, embarking on new adventures, giving back to the community or blood donation, having a buddy by your side can make all the difference.
It was a simple email that launched Lifeblood nurse, Shoba, on the path to change a stranger’s life.
To help celebrate the launch of the Life Is The Reason campaign, we caught up with married couple and milestone donors, Amanda and Michael, to find out what motivates them.
Blood isn’t just for emergenciesWhen we think of donating blood, our minds usually jump to emergencies — like helping car crash victims or people underg
Did you know a single blood donation only takes about 10 minutes and can save up to three lives? Find out how you can make a difference to those in need.
Almost half of all Australians believe they can’t donate blood. Let’s break down the biggest myths that could be holding them back.
Olivia and Lee are in the fight of their lives to save their little girl. Thanks to an incredible medical team and countless blood donors, they’re starting to feel hope again.
While Paralympian Rachael Watson takes on the world, at home, an army of donors are rolling up their sleeves to provide the life-changing plasma that helps make it possible.
Lifeblood has teamed up with Olympian and Indigenous artist, Brad Hore to create a bandage that lets blood donors share their national pride.
18 July 2024
Michael Klim helps the guys from The Imperfects podcast make their first blood donation.
24 June 2024
Monash University Medical Undergraduates Society are working together to give life.
Despite being dispersed all over Victoria, these V/Line staff members are united by their dedication to saving lives.
In 2005, an incredible 5,000 Rotarians embarked on a lifesaving campaign for the West Australian people.
Inspired by her mum, anti-D donor Robyn unwittingly became the hero of her own family when her daughter Hannah needed the treatment during pregnancy.
In 2023, we ran our trial rewards program – Lifeblood Gifts – and gave out limited-edition Lifeblood merch to 92,000 of our delightful donors.
26 April 2024
There’s plenty that goes on behind the scenes of every donation.
02 April 2024
There’s a common misconception that blood donations are only used to treat people in hospital emergency rooms, but there are many fields of medicine that rely on blood products.
28 March 2024
As a practice development nurse specialising in both surgery and haematology, Emma has seen the life-saving impact blood donors can have on the patients in her care.
28 March 2024
As a paediatric care nurse, Abbey has seen first-hand what blood donations can do for a child in need. Discover how blood donors help her save lives every day.
28 March 2024
An orally administered frozen liquid faecal microbiota for transplantation (FMT) capsule might be available for clinical trials sooner than first thought, thanks to a new partnership with&nbs
06 March 2024
Just before Christmas 2023, 31-year-old Kirsty Bryant welcomed her second baby Henry after becoming the first person in Australia to receive a uterus transplant, thanks to a team of incredibl
06 March 2024
Feel good about yourself and give life; what could be a better resolution than that?
Classmates Piper and Tom, are just two of the 750 children diagnosed with cancer every year. Discover how blood donors are helping them (and hundreds like them) stand up to cancer.
22 January 2024
When people meet Mason, they see a friend, heading out for a bike ride; an older brother showing his siblings the ropes; a devoted student, with near perfect attendance.
22 January 2024
Tis the season for giving, but what to buy? If you’re struggling for ideas, Lifeblood has a few that are guaranteed to score you a spot on Santa’s good list. We’ll even wrap it for free!
30 November 2023
As we wrap the third year of the roaring 20’s, we’re celebrating the accomplishments of our life-giving donors.
29 November 2023
To help celebrate Lifeblood’s Movember partnership and raise awareness of the role of blood donation in men’s health, we set off on an endeavour into the microscopic world.
An urgent bone marrow transplant from a sibling donor was the best option for Jamison, so his older brother Lachie stepped up and did just that.
Spring is a wonderful time of year for Lifeblood. As buds bloom, and hay feverish Aussies finally emerge from cold and flu season, we can breathe a sigh of relief and start getting Australia’s plasma donations back on track.
When Australians first heard about Amira, who needed a blood type that we didn’t have in supply, they responded in droves.
Daniel was a plasma donor for more than 15 years, but when his wife was diagnosed with an immunodeficiency, it made his contributions even more important.
It’s been one year since we put out the biccies and started pouring cuppas for our UK mates.
29 August 2023
Climate change has emerged as one of the greatest challenges of our time.
11 August 2023
Close to 20,000 Australians will be newly diagnosed with a form of blood cancer this year.
11 August 2023
Content warning: This article may contain topics that you may find sensitive or distressing.
27 June 2023
When you donate plasma, you give people like Ebony a shot at a healthy life through an army of life-saving germ-fighters.
Leading by example, Amanda hopes to inspire others to give while they can.
Plasma donors are Ismaeel’s secret weapon for fighting infections.
20 June 2023
This article is republished from The Senior.
Miriam and her young family have faced more challenges in the past 10 years than most families will face in a lifetime. Collectively, they have received over 100 transfusions. Their story is one of hope, love and perseverance.
Like most people, Gina had never heard of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).
30 May 2023
Getting well enough to donate blood again kept Peter going through his cancer treatment.
From the very beginning, women have played a vital role in the establishment of blood donation in Australia, with pioneers Dr Lucy Bryce and Dr Ruth Sanger at the forefront.
08 March 2023
When Janske’s twins were born at just 25 weeks her doctors told her how important it was to try and express milk, even if it was just one drop – she gave so much more.
02 March 2023
Finding a way to give back made a huge difference to Fatima and her family. And now, they get to celebrate every donation surrounded by family — and with homemade pizza, of course.
Looking at a career in medical research? We caught up with Dr Lacey Johnson, to find out what advice she has for the next generation of women in STEM.
28 February 2023
As a haematologist, Dr Tatarczuch has been involved in over 100 clinical trials and provided life-saving therapies for countless patients with haematological cancers.
15 February 2023
This time of year has us thinking about what the future holds.
Jase’s cancer diagnosis brought a community of blood donors together
30 January 2023
After learning her baby boy had cancer, Candice felt powerless, but she found hope in blood donation.
30 January 2023
Recipient Dinushka thanks plasma donors around the country, whose generosity helped fight her severe infection
Kevin had his life transformed by something most of us are flushing down the toilet.
They say opposites attract, but when it comes to blood transfusion, some things were never meant to mix.
Every blood type is vital, but only O negative can be safely given to all recipients. In an emergency, it can be life-saving.
At first glance, you might not think the blood you donate has much in common with the groceries you buy, but they all share one thing: a shelf-life.
Anyone else agree that 2022 has gone by in a blink? It sure does feel like that sometimes.
Gifting anxiety may be on the horizon, but have no fear, we’ve got you covered.
Here are some fun facts about blood to make you smarter than you were 5 minutes ago.
When David’s mum was told she had six months to find a match for her bone marrow transplant, his friends and family stepped up for the cause.
It was only in 2018 when news broke globally of the world’s greatest blood plasma donor – Australia’s James Harrison.
13 October 2022
Since conquering his fear of needles thirteen years ago, Jarrod’s kicking goals in and out of the donor chair
Donation should be easy, so we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make it even easier
Those who’ve spent more than 6 months in the UK between 1980 and 1996 are now eligible to donate blood, and they’re keen as mustard.
Matthew sometimes feels bad that he didn’t give much thought to donating blood until someone he knew needed it.
When it comes to rare blood types, it’s a global effort to match need with demand and our ethnic ancestry has a major part to play.
Diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Charlie relies on a regular infusion of immunoglobulin for protection against common viruses and bacteria.
Twelve years after a near-fatal car accident with a 5% chance of survival, Jacob is determined to make the most of his life
People who lived in the United Kingdom for over 6 months between 1980 and 1996 can now give blood in Australia. Yep, blood donors from the UK are A-OK!
25 July 2022
How a generous organ donation gave little Maia the best chance at a normal life.
Lifeblood researchers are conducting Australian-first research that could potentially help thousands of babies in the future.
13 July 2022
Blood donors are overachievers. Not only are you giving to change lives, but your donation can also contribute to world-leading research, like helping track the progress of a pandemic.
13 July 2022
Over 8.3 million Australians will need blood in their lifetime. Join us this National Blood Donor Week, 13–19 June.
11 June 2022
Steve is an anti-D donor, and the plasma he gives has saved the lives of thousands of babies.
09 June 2022
It’s everyone’s least favourite time of year: winter.
This article is republished from Donor Research Network. Read the original article.
19 May 2022
Aunty Mary’s challenge
More than 30 years ago Bruce walked into the Brookvale Oval mobile donor centre to give blood. His motivation for donation?
Stay tuned – we'll draw the winners of our tertiary competition on Monday 2 May. Until then, the need for blood never stops.
11 April 2022
A pregnant patient in Melbourne, Christina Patau, has a disease that is causing her immune system to attack the blood of her unborn baby, and she requires regular blood transfusions in the womb.
01 April 2022
With so many affected by heavy rains and flooding in Queensland and northern New South Wales, we really hope you’re all OK out there. As a result of the weather and road closures, the following donor centres are closed today.
03 March 2022
They say the best relationships are born from knowing what it takes for a person to feel loved.
18 February 2022
"It’s like your world turns upside down, but I just love being a mum. It’s challenging but on the other hand, very rewarding."
15 February 2022
Last year our donors in Australia made 1,596,803 individual donations, and for that we are ever-so-grateful.
14 January 2022
As the festive season approaches we have an opportunity to approach gift-giving with a new perspective.
Insurance Australia Group are in the business of helping Australians when something unexpected happens.
04 November 2021
1 in 4 Australians above 18 has at least one tattoo! But, do you know how your blood interacts with your tattoo?
There are 96 donor centres across Australia
We couldn’t collect anyone’s donation without state-of-the-art donor centres.
Are you seen as bragging or simply generous when you wear a branded bandage after donating blood? It’s one question that Dr. Michael Lam in conjunction with Dr. Barnaby Dixon and Prof. Masser from Lifeblood’s Research and Development Donor Research Team asked when looking at how we can encourage more men to donate blood.
11 October 2021
Premature babies across Queensland now have access to “liquid gold” donated breast milk from a dedicated facility that was opened today by the Hon. Trevor Evans MP.
27 September 2021
You might not think of you or your teammates as style icons – but when it comes to saving lives — you lead the way.
20 September 2021
It's the Australian Medical Students’ Association's annual blood drive, run as a competition between Australian medical schools.
14 September 2021
It was a tough year for many, and we knew there were a lot of people that wanted to help their community but didn’t know where to start.
14 September 2021
2020 was a very special year for us. A lot of things may not have gone to plan, but the 12th anniversary Defence Blood Challenge sure did.
14 September 2021
Welcome to our new website at lifeblood.com.au. It's great to see you!
25 August 2021
We know how much our donors love our snacks, which is why we’re so excited to share our refreshed refreshments menu with you.
When little Flynn arrived much earlier than expected, donated breast milk helped him and his family through those tough first weeks.
Blood donation is a simple life-giving act that means so much to the person who receives it. And it is essential; the need for blood never stops, not even during pandemics.
When we established Lifeblood Milk, only around 25% of babies born in Australia had access to a safe supply of donated breast milk.
05 July 2021
When did you start donating, and why?
I made my first donation in the USA in 1994, while travelling.
05 July 2021
Stories of strength and resilience amid adversity are being showcased in a podcast series produced by our DonateL
05 July 2021
On the 11th of May 2018, James Harrison made his last blood donation, having helped save the babies of more than 2 million Australian women.
This week is National Blood Donor Week. For one week every year, we take the time to celebrate our amazing donors. Without them, the work we do would not be possible.
11 June 2021
Last-minute blood donation cancellations meant 44,000 donor couches were left empty last month, almost equivalent to the capacity of the Sydney Cricket Ground.
18 May 2021
We spoke to Deakin University student Stephanie Tape, who regularly donates blood at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, to find out exactly what the process is like (so it doesn’t seem so daunting).
Even in the face of natural disasters or global pandemics, the need for blood remains and that’s why this call-out is so important.
30 March 2021
Your life might have changed, but for Australians like Eva, your blood donation is as essential as ever.
We’re calling on people of Pacific Island or Filipino background to donate blood in the hope a rare blood type can be found to help several patients in need of a specific match.
The Australian Red Cross Lifeblood has issued an immediate appeal for 22,000 extra people to donate blood or plasma in the next fortnight.
02 March 2021
We collected more than 1.596 million donations across Australia in 2020, all while finding time to celebrate our donors and have fun along the way!
11 February 2021
This blog was originally published by the Australian Government Department of Defence.
10 February 2021
Geoff is the top blood donor in Queensland and the second highest active donor in the nation.
10 February 2021
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood needs 6800 additional blood donations between Christmas and New Year to avoid life-saving blood stocks running low.
22 December 2020
Have you ever wondered what happens to breast milk that’s donated to Lifeblood? Before these generous donations are used to feed the tiniest Australians, we process and test the milk to make sure it’s as safe as can be for vulnerable babies.
19 November 2020
All blood and plasma types are needed, but in particular, Lifeblood’s supplies of O+ and A+ blood have now dropped to two days’ supply, meaning stocks of Australia’s two most common blood types are
17 November 2020
Breast milk donated by Australian mothers will for the first time be used to create a “milk fortifier” prototype – a nutrient dense supplement that can help premature and low-weight babies grow.
17 November 2020
Lifeblood has enlisted Aussie artists to design a vibrant range of limited-edition artwork bandages, to celebrate the life-giving efforts of blood and plasma donors.
19 October 2020
We’ve teamed up with six incredible Aussie artists to create a range of inspiring arm bandages for our donors to wear post-donation.
16 October 2020
A study of 25,000 tattooed donors conducted by Lifeblood in partnership with the Kirby Institute at UNINSW found that those inked in Australian licensed tattoo parlours are safe to donate blood pla
08 October 2020
Whether you share Lifeblood messages and encourage your friends and family to donate, or post selfies with your post-donation bandage, there are plenty of simple ways to show your support.
27 August 2020
Appointment numbers are down and all blood and plasma types are needed to make sure stocks remain at a healthy level.
18 August 2020
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