Be like Steve Whisker and donate your blood this Christmas!

Just one hour of your time could give another person the gift of life.

Owner of Our Place Early Learning Centres in Jerrabomberra and Googong, Mr Whisker has donated blood at the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood more than 200 times.

Today, Wednesday 21 December, he went to give his regular blood donation dressed in the Christmas spirit as jolly old Saint Nicholas, spreading joy and cheer.

ACT Lifeblood spokesperson Sally Gavin said this time of year is a struggle for Lifeblood.

As most of their regular donors go away during the Christmas season, they are reliant upon others in the community who may be able to help.

“Of course, the need for blood doesn’t stop on Christmas. We have patients in hospital requiring the blood product,” Ms Gavin said.

“We currently need types A and O. They make up 80 per cent of the population of blood groups.

“We need an extra 100 donors every day between now and New Year’s Day – that’s on top of what we already have booked to meet the demand.”

Ms Gavin said they need donors to visit the Garran and Civic centres, along with the mobile centre on City Walk next to the Canberra Times Fountain which will remain there until Friday 23 December.

For the first time, Lifeblood in the Garran Centre will be open on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day to ensure the organisation meets the demand.

The following week, the mobile centre will be in the Gungahlin Town Centre, and she said there’s an abundance of available appointments.

Ms Gavin is calling on the Canberra community to rally together to donate and give someone a lifetime more Christmases with their loved ones.

“One in three Australians will need blood sometime in their lifetime. That could be you, someone you love, or in your family, who will need blood products this Christmas,” she said.

“It’s so important to make sure there’s some at the hospital when they need it.

“Only 3.5 per cent of the population donate and with our growing population, we need more donors to help ensure there’s blood products there at any time it’s needed.”

Blood donations this Christmas will go towards patients going through trauma, serious accidents, cancer treatments, complicated childbirth, and blood and immune disorders, said Ms Gavin.

“There’s no better gift than the gift of life,” she said.

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