Donors needed to give one of the greatest gifts of all

The greatest gift of all this Christmas could be running in your veins, according to the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.

A “worrying” shortage of appointments over the festive period has prompted the Bunbury Donor Centre to launch its “Blood Blitz”.

An extra 40 people are still needed during the three days between Christmas and New Year to prevent a shortage of blood products vital for cancer patients, says spokeswoman Jessica Willet.

“With only five people booked in to donate blood at Bunbury on December 30, we really need more people from the community to roll up their sleeves this Christmas,” Ms Willet said.

“Thousands of Australian patients will need blood this Christmas and New Year just to have the hope of spending those moments with friends and family.

“Cancer patients are the biggest users of donated blood and rely on platelets to make it through chemotherapy.

“The problem is platelets cannot be stock-piled, so we need a constant, fresh supply as anything collected before Christmas Eve will have expired or run out long before New Year’s Eve.”

Ms Willet said a blood donation was a gift that money could not buy.

“With WA alone set to spend $5.3 billion leading up to Christmas, the greatest gift of all will cost you just an hour of your time and could help to save three lives,” she said.

To make an appointment to donate blood at Bunbury Donor Centre call 13 14 95 or visit the website.