{"id":130629,"date":"2015-12-17T21:14:49","date_gmt":"2015-12-17T11:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=130629"},"modified":"2020-10-30T13:42:16","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T03:42:16","slug":"blood-needed-over-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2015\/12\/17\/blood-needed-over-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"Blood Needed Over Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Santa helps fill up another Christmas stocking … this time with life-giving Type O blood (Photo: Australian Red Cross Blood Service)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

December 17, 2015<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Australian Red Cross needs an extra 10,000 people to donate blood over the holidays to prevent a shortage of blood products used daily by cancer patients.<\/p>\n

According to the Red Cross Blood Service, each week more than a third of all blood donations are used by cancer patients.<\/p>\n

These donations are in such high demand they cannot be stockpiled, and so a constant stream of donors is required.<\/p>\n

To counter the shortfall, the Blood Service has launched a Christmas Blood Blitz blood drive to fill appointments and raise awareness of the need for blood during this critical time of year.<\/p>\n

Blood Service spokesman Shaun Inguanzo said the shortfall of donors was due to “holiday mode”.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe need for blood never takes a break and donated blood will be needed every day over the next fortnight to help treat many sick and seriously ill Australians,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome of the components used by cancer patients are used daily and cannot be stockpiled, so we need a constant flow of donations.<\/p>\n

\u201cHolidays can also be a time of severe road trauma. Although there are fewer of these patients, they individually require many litres of donated blood.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne in three of us will need a blood transfusion in our lifetime. The life you save this Christmas could be your own or that of a loved one.\u201d<\/p>\n

For more information, call 13-14-95 or visit www.donateblood.com.au<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n