Vital reads

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Featured

Childbirth is rarely easy. But for Anthea, it was traumatic.

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James Harrison - our favourite Guiness World Record holder

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?

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2024 Stats and Snack Battle

How many litres of tomato sauce does a nation use when dressing their post-donation baked goods?

Ten years. Six surgeries. Three lives changed.

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.

Amira goes from strength to strength as the need for rare blood continues

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.

Microbiome product gets the green light from the TGA

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

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Could donating be even more fun, together?

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.

Shoba was the only stem cell match in the world

It was a simple email that launched Lifeblood nurse, Shoba, on the path to change a stranger’s life.

Looking for a reason to give blood? This couple has a few.

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.

Two sisters sitting in their garden playing with a ball

What’s behind Australia’s growing demand for blood donors?

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

A woman sitting in a donor chair talking to a nurse

From party pies to saving lives: the step-by-step guide to giving blood

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.

Think you can’t donate blood? Think again.

Almost half of all Australians believe they can’t donate blood. Let’s break down the biggest myths that could be holding them back.

When Kiani was diagnosed with leukaemia, blood donors were ready to help.

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.

For Paralympian Rachael Watson, plasma donations are liquid gold

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.

Olympian Brad Hore and Lifeblood team up to support a nation for blood donation

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 meets three imperfect blood donors

Michael Klim helps the guys from The Imperfects podcast make their first blood donation.

24 June 2024

The doctors of tomorrow saving lives today

Monash University Medical Undergraduates Society are working together to give life.

When it comes to saving lives, V/LINE donors are all aboard.

Despite being dispersed all over Victoria, these V/Line staff members are united by their dedication to saving lives.

group photo of Rotarians in microbiome laboratory

From Cord Blood to Microbiome; The evolution of “Rotary’s gift to the people of WA”

In 2005, an incredible 5,000 Rotarians embarked on a lifesaving campaign for the West Australian people.

An anti-D tale of maternal magic

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.

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Guess who’s back? Lifeblood Gifts is back!

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

two women volunteers wearing red aprons that say 'Together, we're Australia's Lifeblood'. with a red sticker that says 'what does donation mean to you? Share it here'

Volunteers smooth the way for donors: meet Caz and Mim

There’s plenty that goes on behind the scenes of every donation.

02 April 2024

What does blood donation have to do with gastroenterology?

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

photo of nurse emma wearing a blue top and gloves holding a blood bag

Emma relies on blood donors to save lives

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

photo of nurse abbey wearing a blue uniform and gloves and holding up a blood bag

How blood donors help paediatric nurses save little lives

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

Faecal transplant capsules

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

Three transplants and a baby

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

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Blood donation myths, busted.

Easy to digest nuggets of donation information

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How you can make a meaningful difference in 2024

Feel good about yourself and give life; what could be a better resolution than that?

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Blood donors are standing up (while sitting down) for kids living with cancer

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

Where are they now? How blood donors helped Mason overcome cancer

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

man holding a baby smiling at camera in front of an airplane

5 life-changing gift ideas

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

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2023 Lifeblood Stats and Snacks

As we wrap the third year of the roaring 20’s, we’re celebrating the accomplishments of our life-giving donors.

29 November 2023

Michael Klim along with 32 donors dressed in red swimwear at Bondi

An Olympic effort

Bringing a Lifeblood ambassador to life.

24 November 2023

black and white photograph of a moustache being placed on a blood cell taken with an electron microscope

How do you give a red blood cell the world’s smallest Mo?

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.

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Lachie’s bone marrow donation gave Jamison life

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.

person with blue safety glove sorting bags of donated plasma

Spring: time to supercharge our blood supply

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.

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Australians respond for Amira

When Australians first heard about Amira, who needed a blood type that we didn’t have in supply, they responded in droves.

man and woman smiling at the top of a mountain

Daniel gives plasma for wife Kylie’s life

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.

collage of UK donors donating blood after the deferral was lifted

Absolutely Smashing: one year on from UK being A-OK

It’s been one year since we put out the biccies and started pouring cuppas for our UK mates.

29 August 2023

illustration of various environmental features including flowers, mountains, trees, clouds, the sun and a waterfall being held up by a hand

What does climate change have to do with blood donation?

Climate change has emerged as one of the greatest challenges of our time.

11 August 2023

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Lifeblood and blood donors are stepping up to fight cancer

Close to 20,000 Australians will be newly diagnosed with a form of blood cancer this year.

11 August 2023

Laurie finds inspiration in his great great gran’s story

Content warning: This article may contain topics that you may find sensitive or distressing.

27 June 2023

Woman and man smiling in a donor centre holding their young daughter

Enhancing Ebony’s immunity with plasma

When you donate plasma, you give people like Ebony a shot at a healthy life through an army of life-saving germ-fighters.

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From plasma to breast milk, giving is in Amanda’s blood

Leading by example, Amanda hopes to inspire others to give while they can.

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Dear Donors: from boy in a bubble to unstoppable bubbly boy

Plasma donors are Ismaeel’s secret weapon for fighting infections.

20 June 2023

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A plasma donation prolonged John's life

This article is republished from The Senior.

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Dear Donors: The Stannards' Story

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.

It takes a village to save a life

Like most people, Gina had never heard of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP).

30 May 2023

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More power to you Peter

Getting well enough to donate blood again kept Peter going through his cancer treatment.

Recognising women who give: The female pioneers of Lifeblood

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

Recognising women who give: how one mum gave hope by giving breast milk

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

Three generations of women who give

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.

5 tips for women in STEM with Dr Lacey Johnson

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

Discover how the blood you give helps haematologists fight cancer.

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

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Valentine’s Day horoscopes

This time of year has us thinking about what the future holds.

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Jase faced his cancer with an army of donors

Jase’s cancer diagnosis brought a community of blood donors together

30 January 2023

photo of Candice and River hugging, Candice is seated and smiling up to River who is holding a soccer ball

How a cancer diagnosis turned a mother into a lifesaver

After learning her baby boy had cancer, Candice felt powerless, but she found hope in blood donation.

30 January 2023

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Dinushka wants to thank Australia's plasma donors

Recipient Dinushka thanks plasma donors around the country, whose generosity helped fight her severe infection

How a faecal microbiota transplant changed Kevin’s life

Kevin had his life transformed by something most of us are flushing down the toilet.

Why blood type matters

They say opposites attract, but when it comes to blood transfusion, some things were never meant to mix.

What makes O negative blood the universal blood type

Every blood type is vital, but only O negative can be safely given to all recipients. In an emergency, it can be life-saving.

Does your donation have a use-by-date?

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.

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2022 Aussie Blood Donor Stats and Snacks

Anyone else agree that 2022 has gone by in a blink? It sure does feel like that sometimes.

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Presents without a price tag

Gifting anxiety may be on the horizon, but have no fear, we’ve got you covered.

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Things that make you go “hmm”

Here are some fun facts about blood to make you smarter than you were 5 minutes ago.

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A crew of life-givers

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.

plasma donor Rowan is seated while giving a donation, recipient Dinushka is standing to his left and smiling

Opinion: A call to arms as demand for plasma soars

It was only in 2018 when news broke globally of the world’s greatest blood plasma donor – Australia’s James Harrison.

13 October 2022

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A running passion for life

Since conquering his fear of needles thirteen years ago, Jarrod’s kicking goals in and out of the donor chair

Collage of new Brunswick and Marrickville donor centres

More space, more donations, more lives changed

Donation should be easy, so we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make it even easier

Man donating blood with a sign that reads my 1st blood donation next to a man wearing a cosutme of an english guard

UK is A-OK

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.

Why finally becoming a blood donor means so much to this Dad

Matthew sometimes feels bad that he didn’t give much thought to donating blood until someone he knew needed it.

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A rare request beyond borders

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.

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Plasma gives Charlie life every week

Diagnosed with a rare genetic condition, Charlie relies on a regular infusion of immunoglobulin for protection against common viruses and bacteria.

Jacob’s second chance at life

Twelve years after a near-fatal car accident with a 5% chance of survival, Jacob is determined to make the most of his life

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UK blood donation ‘mad cow ’ rule has changed — for good

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

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Giving life beyond blood

How a generous organ donation gave little Maia the best chance at a normal life.

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Lifeblood’s Australian-first donated breast milk research will help thousands of babies

Lifeblood researchers are conducting Australian-first research that could potentially help thousands of babies in the future.

13 July 2022

illustration of a globe of the earth, standing on one side are two people holding large red blood droplets and on the other side are standing two scientists in white lab coats

What we’ve learned about blood donors in 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

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National Blood Donor Week 2022 - Be the Lifeblood of Australia

Over 8.3 million Australians will need blood in their lifetime. Join us this National Blood Donor Week, 13–19 June.

11 June 2022

Donor Stephen is lying in a chair, with a bandage on his arm from donating plasma for the anti-D program

Anti-D donor Steve Gansberg is just happy to help

Steve is an anti-D donor, and the plasma he gives has saved the lives of thousands of babies.  

09 June 2022

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Sneezy season: busting cold and flu myths

It’s everyone’s least favourite time of year: winter.

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Milk donors share their tips for expressing breast milk

This article is republished from Donor Research Network. Read the original article.

19 May 2022

photo of donor Bruce and recipient Taylor smiling and holding a sign with 600 donations written on it

On a roll with 600 donations

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?

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Our tertiary competition is over

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

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Are you of Polynesian, New Zealand Māori or Filipino descent?

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

Female nurse assisting a female donor as she gives blood

Queensland and northern NSW floods: how you can help

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

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What's love got to do with it?

They say the best relationships are born from knowing what it takes for a person to feel loved.

18 February 2022

illustration of a mother holding a baby in her arms and a scientist wearing a white lab coat standing beside her

Marvels of motherhood

"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

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Snackshot 2021

Last year our donors in Australia made 1,596,803 individual donations, and for that we are ever-so-grateful.

14 January 2022

illustration of a man wearing a christmas hat and carrying a large red blood droplet which is wrapped in a ribbon

Christmas gift guide

As the festive season approaches we have an opportunity to approach gift-giving with a new perspective.

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Spotlight on the IAG Lifeblood Team

Insurance Australia Group are in the business of helping Australians when something unexpected happens.

04 November 2021

How blood makes your ink stick

1 in 4 Australians above 18 has at least one tattoo! But, do you know how your blood interacts with your tattoo?

illustration of a person holding a stylised heart with the number 5 on it, they have a bandage around their elbow, in the background a person is sitting back in a chair donating blood while a nurse stands beside them

5 figures at the heart of donation

There are 96 donor centres across Australia We couldn’t collect anyone’s donation without state-of-the-art donor centres.

a woman is holding her sunglasses up and smiling off camera, on her elbow is a true colours designed bandage

New research shows the humble blood donation bandage signals health and generosity

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

two women are sitting on the grass in a park holding a dog

True Colours 2021

Share your life-giving style with the world

Breast milk bank opens in Brisbane to bring "liquid gold" to premature and vulnerable babies

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

a young man is standing holding a skateboard over his shoulders, on his left elbow is a true colours designed bandage

Share your team’s life-saving style

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

illustration of two people standing next to a giant red blood droplet

Sinking our teeth into the Vampire Cup

It's the Australian Medical Students’ Association's annual blood drive, run as a competition between Australian medical schools.

14 September 2021

a donor is raising her hand in a flex pose and smiling, on her elbow is a true colours bandage

Throw Back Flex – True Colours 2020

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

australian defence force team member during a donation

Ready, set, give! Defence Challenge 2021 has launched

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

Anti-D recipient Kylie smiling in the park with her sons

Unveiling Lifeblood's new website

Welcome to our new website at lifeblood.com.au. It's great to see you!

25 August 2021

Donors Joe and Faye having snacks after donating blood

New snacktactular treats for our donors!

We know how much our donors love our snacks, which is why we’re so excited to share our refreshed refreshments menu with you.

How donated breast milk helped Flynn

When little Flynn arrived much earlier than expected, donated breast milk helped him and his family through those tough first weeks.

Thanks, Perth and Peel, for keeping the blood flowing during lockdown

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.

Jess’s beautiful gift for vulnerable babies

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

Donor spotlight: Lifeblood Champion James

When did you start donating, and why? I made my first donation in the USA in 1994, while travelling.

05 July 2021

Let’s talk organ and tissue donation podcast

Stories of strength and resilience amid adversity are being showcased in a podcast series produced by our DonateL

05 July 2021

James Harrison's story

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.

National blood donor week 2021

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

Record blood donation cancellations

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

Picture of uni student Steph who has donated blood in a circle

Uni student Steph tells us what it was like to donate blood (so it doesn't seem so scary)!

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).

Illustration of three people holding blood type letters B, O and A

Urgent call for blood this Easter

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

Eva’s story

Your life might have changed, but for Australians like Eva, your blood donation is as essential as ever.

Rare blood call: Pacific Islander and Filipino donors needed

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.

More blood donors needed now

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

illustration of a trophy with 2020 written on it against a blue and red background

2020 recap

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

josh standing in front of a mobile donor centre

Young cancer survivor gives back to blood challenge

This blog was originally published by the Australian Government Department of Defence.

10 February 2021

geoff is sitting in a chair and smiling during a donation, nurses stand either side of him and above them are silver coloured balloons in the number 800

Geoff hits 800! An incredible milestone for one of our top donors

Geoff is the top blood donor in Queensland and the second highest active donor in the nation.

10 February 2021

'Blood Blitz' to avoid Christmas blood shortage

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

a scientist is wearing a facemask and a hairnet and is holding up a milk sample jar

The journey of milk

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

Blood donors urgently needed

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

a scientist in front of a fridge holding up a vial of milk

Lifeblood Milk and SAHMRI partner to deliver Australia’s first breast milk fortifier for premature babies

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

Aussies urged to flex their True Colours, as a third of us say we want to give back

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

Flex your True Colours

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

illustration of two arms giving a thumbs up, they each have a tattoo on the arm of a heart with an arrow through it

Got a new tattoo? You can now donate plasma

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

How to be a Lifeblood social media superstar

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

Blood donations needed now

Appointment numbers are down and all blood and plasma types are needed to make sure stocks remain at a healthy level.

18 August 2020

Thumbnail of little Ellie, clasping her hands together, and her family

Little Ellie defies the odds

“It's extremely bittersweet, knowing there was a family out there who had to say goodbye to their child, so our Ellie could receive their heart," says Ellie's dad Andrew.

12 August 2020

Australia says thank you — virtually

Typically, World Blood Donor Day and National Blood Donor Week are marked by events across Australia celebrating our incredible donor milestones.

14 July 2020

Our Healthcare Heroes: Lifeblood winners

Chanelle Blair, from our Perth CBD Donor Centre, and Michelle DeLong from our Morley Donor Centre are among the winners of a state-wide search for Western Australia’s most deserving nurses.

09 July 2020

This one habit can save countless lives

The vast majority of blood donors have an amazing first experience: they get that warm fuzzy feeling from giving life, and are surprised at how quickly it goes (the actual “donating” bit only takes

Melbourne processing centre case confirmed

We are working closely with the Victorian Health Department to ensure all necessary and appropriate steps are being taken, including required cleaning.

29 June 2020

National Blood Donor Week 2020

Hear more from our Chief Executive, Shelly Park, as we say thank you. This was first published in the West Australian, 15/06/2020.

15 June 2020

samara holding a bouquet of white flowers

Samara “is an absolute miracle” thanks to blood donors

This article is republished from The Cancer Centre for Children.

06 May 2020

illustration of a convalescent plasma bag

Lifeblood joins fight to combat COVID-19 in Australian first

Convalescent plasma is the liquid part of blood that contains antibodies. Once someone has recovered from COVID-19, the antibodies against the virus remain in their plasma. 

06 May 2020

Blood donation - an essential service

“Donating blood and plasma remains an essential activity to keep blood flowing to patients across the country, and travel and venue restrictions do not prevent you from giving blood – we need you n

23 March 2020

danny with donor centre staff holding up caricatures he has drawn

Donor Danny draws blood at Ringwood Donor Centre

For the talented cartoonist the donation couch is a chance to sit back and draw.

17 March 2020

More blood donors needed

Some 14,000 donors are needed to make an appointment over the next few weeks, including the Easter long weekend, to bolster supplies.

17 March 2020

Why we’re not a bank

For as long as we can remember, people have called us ‘the blood bank’.

Coronavirus update: Lifeblood reassures donors

Lifeblood Chief Medical Officer Dr Joanne Pink said it was important to note there is no evidence that coronavirus is transmissible by blood transfusion, and that Lifeblood’s strict screening proce

28 February 2020

a mother sits with her child on her lap looking off camera and smiling

Breastfeeding mums asked to share a special gift

“We are looking for mums who have an excess supply of breast milk, and whose babies are less than a year old, to consider registering as milk donors,” says Lifeblood Milk’s Chris Sulfaro. 

13 February 2020

illustration of a scientist standing in front of a red background she is holding a red blood droplet

Transforming transfusions: The remarkable life of Dame Janet Maria Vaughan

Early life and education Janet Vaughan was born the eldest of four children in 1899 Bristol, United Kingdom.

11 February 2020

two donors are seated smiling at each other

How to be a flexible donor

Donors sometimes tell us you want to know when we need you most, and we’ll often respond by saying ‘the need for blood never stops!’ This is absolutely true.

illustration of people standing next to a giant birthday cake with two lit candles of the numerals 6 and 0 on top

60 donors for 60 years

Robyn was inspired by another local donor who had recruited 50 donors for his 50th and decided she wanted to 10-up him!

24 January 2020

illustration of a man and a woman next to a red loveheart

How you can celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day

We especially think that the Random Acts of Kindness Day held on 17 February is a great way to keep good vibes coming in the New Year.

23 January 2020

illustration of various snacks, a pie a drink a cracker and a cupcake around a trophy with number 1 on it

Snack off 2019

Party pies vs sausage rolls It’s a contentious battle that’s fought at birthday parties, school canteens and office morning teas around Australia.

23 January 2020

a donor is sitting in a chair and smiling while a nurse assists him

Five amazing stories that Giving Life gave us

Our series Giving Life has followed the inspiring stories of those who give, receive and make life possible.

22 January 2020

Lifeblood Milk expands to help Townsville babies

It’s expected the partnership will deliver about 500 litres of milk to the NICU each year, helping 130 vulnerable babies.

20 November 2019

Become a perfect match: join the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry

If you’re reading this you probably already know how great it feels to donate blood and save lives. But did you know there’s another simple way to save lives? By joining the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR).

Wrapping up our first Bloody Great Friday

The need for blood never stops, and neither did our generous donors. They turned up at all hours (big props to our incredible staff too) to make our first Bloody Great Friday a roaring success.

11 July 2019

Fun facts about blood

Brush up on these fantastically fun blood facts.

05 March 2019

Are you one of the 1 in 10?

1 in 10 Kiwis live in Australia We don’t mean the cute, round kind of kiwi that can’t fly (or maybe we do, depending on what your kiwi mate looks like).

15 February 2019

2018 shout-outs and the battle of sausage rolls vs. party pies

It’s always good to reflect on the year that has been. You might have even seen our counter on social media showing that generous Australians donated more than 1,390,000 times in 2018.

23 January 2019

Thinking about getting inked?

Adding a micro tatt to your sticker sleeve? Or maybe you’re finally getting that realistic tiger inked on your back? Well, we have good news for you: you can have tattoos and be a blood donor.

9 Tips for 9 Months of Waiting: What partners can do when waiting for the baby to arrive

If you’re expecting a baby, you’re probably here looking for advice. Life is about to transform in wonderful ways, so it’s great you’re taking this time to prepare yourself as best you can.

19 September 2018

a family standing in front of a wall and smiling

50 transfusions bring a baby into the world

Jeremy’s wife Shannon received up to 50 transfusions throughout the course of two of her pregnancies, so he knows the value of partners and family of pregnant women donating blood.

Why you want the O-neg supply to stay steady

Hospitals like to keep it on hand for emergency situations, when there’s not enough time to test someone’s blood type before giving them a life-saving transfusion.

What happens to your body when you have a cold

Doctors think that most common cold symptoms are part of your body’s response to the virus, rather than the virus itself.

Brodie and his mum together, reading from a piece of paper

"Thanks for saving our Brodie"

When Brodie was just five weeks old, his parents received a call from the Royal Children’s Hospital. A moment Sarah, Brodie’s mother, remembers all too well.

10 July 2018

call and give blood

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