"1 in 3 people Will Need Blood, but Only 1 in 30 Donates. Donate Today"

Australian Red Cross Blood Service

Today at Uni, I faced my usual frustration when seeing the Red Cross Blood Donation van, ready and awaiting our donations. My frustration does not stem from the idea of giving blood, far from it! What could be better than being told to relax, sit back, give some love to the world and get tea and biscuits afterwards! However, unfortunately because I lived in the UK between 1980 and 1996, I am unable to make this precious donation, all in the name of Mad Cow disease!

Other possible circumstances under which you can not give blood are:

· If you are HIV positive

· You have hepatitis B

· You have or have had hepatitis C

· You have ever injected yourself or been injected with drugs not prescribed by a doctor or dentist (even if this was only once)

      You will not be able to give blood if, in the past 12 months, you have/or had:

· Sex with another man, even ‘safer sex’ using a condom (if you are a man)

· Sex with a man who has had sex with another man (if you are a woman)

· Sex with a partner who has HIV or hepatitis C

· Sex with a partner who has hepatitis B, unless you have been vaccinated
and/or are immune on our testing

· Sex with a partner who has ever injected themselves with drugs not prescribed by a doctor or dentist

· Sex with a male or female sex worker

· A blood transfusion, excluding transfusions of your own blood

· Hepatitis or been in close contact with someone with hepatitis

· Been in prison

· Sex with anyone who lives in, or has come from, a country considered to have a high rate of HIV infection.

I implore anyone who is capable to donate, donate life! If we are blessed with the gift of health then is it not the least we can do to 'pay it forward’ and gift to others what we ourselves take for granted.

Check out the website at www.donateblood.com.au.

Find out your blood type, ways to donate or other ways to help!

Have you had a kindness shown?
Pass it on;
'Twas not given for thee alone,
Pass it on;
Let it travel down the years,
Let it wipe another's tears,
'Til in Heaven the deed appears -
Pass it on.

~Henry Burton, Pass It On