◄ Back to Blood Service in Brief July 2016
For Brett, National Blood Donor Week is the best opportunity he’ll get to thank the people who saved his life — because he’ll probably never get to meet them.
When this father of three developed viral pneumonia and went into a coma during an overseas trip, he was flown back to Australia for incredibly delicate open heart surgery to remove hundreds of blood clots from his lungs and body. During his surgery and treatment he needed over 240 units of blood.
During National Blood Donor Week from 12–18 June, the Blood Service recognised and celebrated all of Australia’s generous, voluntary, life-saving blood donors like those who saved Brett’s life.
This year we also celebrated the achievements of over 5,000 donors who had made a milestone number of blood donations in the previous year — from 50 donations up to over 1,000 — as well as anti-D and bone marrow donors at 42 special ceremonies nationwide.
National Blood Donor Week is also a time we promote and encourage people to try blood donation. This year, the tagline ‘It’s the best week to try the best biscuit’ and our famous best biscuit ever (the one you get after giving blood) appeared on billboards, banners and posters across the country and across social media with the hashtag #donorweek.
Thank you to Brett for sharing his story and to all our blood donors!