Life Winter 2014 - Australian Red Cross Blood Service

WINTER 2014
Inside
Australia’s blood supply is considered one
of the safest in the world, find out why.
MORE INSIDE!
Do something special. Give blood.
Call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au
Contents
3
The perfect match
4
How safe is your blood?
5
6
Borough vs Bay Blood Drive
Blood donors stand out
in the crowd
7
Club Red
8
Special donors save thousands of unborn babies
9
World Blood Donor Day
10 Blast from the past
12
Crossword & Sudoku
A drop of his blood is
rarer than a sapphire
NSW/ACT
Michael is one of only a few registered blood donors in the world with the rare Bombay negative blood type.
Michael Morris is one of only a few
registered blood donors in the world with
the rare Bombay blood type. Only one in four
million people have the Bombay blood type.
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2
Michael’s blood donations helped to support a
young boy with the same blood type a few years
ago who had Thalassemia (an inherited blood
disorder which results in severe anaemia). The
boy required a bone marrow transplant to try to
change his blood type, as he would otherwise
need Bombay blood every two months for the
rest of his life, which couldn’t be supported due
to the limited number of Bombay donors. Michael
is now enjoying life on the Central Coast with his
wife, and continues to donate when needed.
The ABO blood group system includes an
antigen called H. The A and B proteins attach to
the H protein people with type A and/or B blood,
while people with type O have just the H protein
on its own.
Individuals of the rare Bombay blood type lack
the H antigen which is the precursor structure on
which A and B antigens are formed. They can only
be transfused with Bombay blood.
“My dad is a rare
blood group and
also a rare gem.”
Michael is now enjoying life on the Central Coast
with his wife, and continues to donate when needed.
His daughter, comedian and TV personality Julia
Morris, is very proud and says: “My dad is a rare
blood group and also a rare gem.”
Do something special. Give blood.
Call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au
WINTER 2014
The perfect match
My name is Shane Wicks and I have
been fortunate enough to be a bone
marrow donor.
I initially went on the bone marrow registry nearly
17 years ago when a friend of mine, Bob, was
diagnosed with leukaemia. I had known Bob for
many years through my involvement with our local
surf club. After a long battle with leukaemia it
was revealed that Bob required a bone marrow
transplant to try to overcome his cancer. A large
group of fellow surf club members and I were
tested to see if we were a match for a bone
marrow donation for Bob. He was a very well
respected member of our community and had
been a mentor to me and many young people. He
was a wonderful man that lost his battle with
leukaemia, but left behind a strong legacy.
I was not a match for Bob but remained on the
bone marrow registry until I was contacted last
year, almost 17 years after originally going on
the registry. I was told that I could be a match to
an anonymous person. The bone marrow registry
asked if I would be willing to be a donor, I did not
need to think about it and agreed to participate in
further testing. When it was revealed that I was a
match I was really happy that I was able to help
someone. I am a paramedic and come across a
lot of sick people, including those with terminal
cancer and it felt really good that I may be able to
help someone overcome their terrible illness.
All throughout the procedure, from initial testing
to undergoing the procedure I was very well
looked after. The staff at the bone marrow donor
centre were extremely supportive. I was given
lots of information and counselling so that I
could be prepared for the procedure. The bone
marrow donor centre very kindly accommodated
my wife and I in a lovely motel when I underwent
the bone marrow donation and generously helped
with our travelling costs. The staff at the hospital
ensured that the procedure went smoothly and
were very caring.
I recovered well from the procedure, I had a
couple of days where I experienced a bit of
pain but generally I was quite OK. The entire
experience was very rewarding for me and I
feel fortunate to be given a unique opportunity
to help someone. I was also fortunate to
experience a lot of support from family friends
and my community. The Ambulance service
became aware that I was going to be a bone
marrow donor and the media liaison officer
NSW/ACT
contacted various media so that I could tell my
story in order to promote the good work of the
bone marrow registry and hopefully encourage
other people to participate. I appeared on the
TV and was interviewed for the radio and the
newspaper. My three children thought that it
was pretty cool that their dad was on the TV and
in the paper and I found it a little overwhelming.
I hope that the person who received my bone
marrow is doing well and I look forward to
receiving updates on how they are doing.
BONE
MARROW
FEATURE
Shane was fortunate to be given an opportunity
to help save someone with his donation.
Tuesday is books and blood
day for Orange’s Hennie Moore
The lovely Hennie Moore is a regular plasma donor at Orange
Donor Centre, she visits every two weeks on a Tuesday morning.
Being a blood donor is just one of Hennie’s volunteering contributions, she
enjoys volunteering in the community but says donating blood is one of the
easiest volunteering jobs you could do.
“Being a blood donor is just one of
Hennie’s volunteering contributions”
Hennie started donating blood in her 20s and stopped for a bit while she
had children. Then her children started donating and she thought well
if they can so can I, she now donates plasma and said it is one of the
easiest ways of volunteering.
She comes with her book and puts her feet up every second Tuesday to
make a lifesaving plasma donation.
3
How safe is your blood?
Every week, Australia needs 27,000 blood
donations. With dedicated donors rolling
up their sleeves and donating to save lives,
the Australian Red Cross Blood Service is
entrusted with safely supplying this blood
to treat patients who rely on blood and
blood products to survive. A privilege, it’s
also a mighty responsibility – and it’s one
the Blood Service takes very seriously.
“Australia’s blood supply is considered one of the
safest in the world,” explained Sue Ismay, the
Blood Service’s National Production Manager.
“Along with a number of other countries, such as
Canada, the United States of America, the United
Kingdom and the Netherlands, we ensure we have
strong strategies in place to mitigate the risks
associated with blood transfusion.”
With the safety and quality of Australia’s blood
an important driver of the organisation, the ‘lines
of defence’ to ensure and maintain the safety
of the blood supply are strongly in place. With
state-of-the-art processing centres and scientific
testing to ensure such safety, a heavy focus on
education is another important layer in upholding
these safety standards.
“We focus heavily on educating our donors about
the importance of keeping our blood supply
safe,” said Sue. “Every time a person gives
blood they must meet donor eligibility criteria
by answering a donor questionnaire – this is
designed to safeguard the health of the donor
and the patient and identify any potential risks.
The reality is, we can’t give a 100 per cent safety
guarantee – after all, blood is a biological product,
not a pharmaceutical one. It can’t be sterilised,
infectious agents have incubation periods which
means that donations can be made during the
window period before evidence of infection may be
detected in the donor and there may be emerging
infectious agents for which we are not yet able to
test. This is why we use other tools like education
and the donor questionnaire to ensure safety.”
In addition, the Blood Service also tests all blood
donations for blood type, the presence of red
cell antibodies and for markers for the following
infections: HIV1 and 2, hepatitis B and C, HTLV I
and II (Human T-cell lymphocytotropic virus) and
syphilis. The level of meticulous testing continues,
with some donations also tested for malaria,
depending on the answers provided on the donor
“We strive for excellence – we want to be the best at what we do.”
4
national
questionnaire, as well as CMV (cytomegalovirus), a
ubiquitous virus that doesn’t pose a risk to healthy
people, but can cause life-threatening illness if
an immune system is compromised. All platelets
are also tested for bacterial contamination. “The
test methods and systems used for detecting
these infectious agents are both specific and
sensitive - they include nucleic acid testing (NAT)
which detects viruses, serological testing which
detects antibodies that are formed when people
are exposed to infectious agents and blood culture
tests to detect bacteria,” explained Sue.
Beyond the donor centres and processing
laboratories, the Blood Service is also
constantly searching for continued improvement
opportunities – whether it’s learning about
emerging agents, implementing new protocols
and tests, purchasing new equipment and
employing technology to ensure the safety of our
blood is the very best it possibly could be. “We’re
committed to making safety and quality a part
of everything we do.” said Sue. “We’re always
monitoring our processes looking for better ways
to do things. We strive for excellence – we want
to be the best at what we do.”
WINTER 2014
Borough vs Bay Blood Drive
QLD
Rescue chopper
supports our
call for O neg
Mackay’s RACQ Central
Queensland Rescue helicopter
service has thrown its support
behind the call for blood
donors, particularly those
with O negative type blood.
QLD
The medical team that fly on board the rescue
helicopter use O negative blood products to
treat patients who are injured.
Maryborough Wallaroos players line up at the Maryborough Blood Donor Centre.
Photo by Tracey Joynson, courtesy of Fraser Coast Chronicle.
The age old rivalry between Queensland
towns Hervey Bay and Maryborough
has proved to be advantageous for the
Blood Service.
The campaign drew widespread community
support with football players, politicians and
business leaders keen to spread the message and
battle it out for town pride.
Throughout April and May, residents from both
towns were encouraged to put their competitive
spirit to good use by rolling up their sleeves as
part of the inaugural Borough vs Bay Blood Drive.
The bloodiest battle was waged between the
Hervey Bay Seagulls and the Maryborough Wallaroos
who staged an A-grade rugby league showdown,
with the Wallaroos coming off second best.
Instead of licking their
wounds, the Wallaroos
decided to do something
positive and save lives
The goal during the challenge was for 2000 blood
donations and 200 new blood donors.
Seven weeks into the campaign, Hervey Bay
had inched ahead of the competition on 90 per
cent in front of Maryborough’s 89 per cent in the
total blood donations needed stakes. Hervey Bay
also showed their dominance in the new donors
category, sitting on 46 versus 36 for Maryborough.
Blood Service Community Relations Officers Barry
Lynch and Beck Ind said the Fraser Coast had
a lower number of new blood donors than many
other regions across Queensland.
Instead of licking their wounds, the Wallaroos
decided to do something positive and save lives.
The whole team went into the Maryborough Blood
Donor Centre to give blood.
State Member for Hervey Bay Ted Sorensen,
Member for Maryborough Anne Maddern, and
Maryborough Chamber of Commerce President
Craig Winter also joined the battle by encouraging
the local business community to sign up for the
Blood Service’s Club Red program by getting
together with workmates and donating as a group.
Ms Ind said Club Red was a great way to build
team spirit and camaraderie in an organisation.
“It doesn’t cost any money, and everyone walks
away knowing they’ve given the gift of life to
others,” she said.
Mr Lynch said the inaugural Borough vs Bay battle
has galvanised community spirit and the event
was likely to become an annual campaign.
RACQ Rescue Flight paramedics Justin Craib
and Damien Ross with Red Cross Blood Service
Community Relations Officer Sandy Holmes.
O negative is the universal blood type that
can be used to treat trauma patients in an
emergency, no matter what their blood type.
The rescue helicopter crew collect the blood
they need from Mackay Base Hospital on their
way to accident scenes.
Already this year, the helicopter crew have
treated two patients who needed urgent
blood transfusions.
“Having this blood available certainly buys
our doctors and flight paramedics the time
they need to get critically injured people
to a hospital and into critical care, which
ultimately helps save lives,” said RACQ Central
Queensland Rescue spokesperson Louise Clare.
Only nine percent of Australians have O
negative type blood, and being the universal
blood type, it is always in demand.
To give blood call 13 14 95 or visit
donateblood.com.au
5
Blood donors stand out in a crowd
Blood donor Laura Keays is using
photography to encourage more people
to donate.
SA/NT
Laura said she embarked on the project to change
the perception that donating blood is difficult or
takes too much time.
“I want people to realise that they have the chance
to save a life,” she said.
Laura’s photograph depicts a single donor rolling
up their sleeves surrounded by a crowd of people
who are unable or unwilling to give blood.
“In my picture there is a lady who is pregnant,
a child and a girl under the age of 16, all unable
to donate. There are also people who think they
are too busy to donate with day to day things like
shopping, playing with kids, work commitments or
socialising,” Laura said.
The picture demonstrates that while others may not
be eligible or may be too busy to donate, you can be
the one who stands out and helps to save a life.
Photograph by Laura Keys
Generous donors in Ringwood
In the space of only one year the relocated
Ringwood Blood Donor Centre has already
received more than 22,000 donations from
the local community.
Speaking about the milestone Blood Service
Community Relations Officer Sarah Lacey said it
had been a massive year for the centre.
“While moving three doors down might not seem
like a big deal, the new premises has been great
for donors and staff alike,” Ms Lacey said.
“The donors like the fresh new look of the centre,
and it has provided a great working environment
for the team.
“In only the first 12 months of operation the centre
has already collected 22,000 donations, including
more than 1000 plasma donations above target
– this is a fantastic achievement all thanks to our
incredibly generous donors.”
To celebrate their first birthday the Ringwood
Blood Donor Centre hosted a morning tea for
donors on Monday 19 May and had special treats
on hand for donors throughout the birthday week.
6
VIC/TAS
Happy 1st Birthday Ringwood
WINTER 2014
CLUB RED
Emergency Services Challenge
Although our emergency services
personnel are heroes in their daily duties,
they are now saving lives in a different kind
of way by rolling up their sleeves and giving
blood together.
Club Red Breakfast
The annual National Emergency Services Challenge –
part of the Blood Service’s Club Red group donation
program – takes place Monday 16 June through Friday
15 August.
Representatives for Ambulance, Fire, Police, State
Emergency Services and more are participating in a
friendly competition to see who can save the most
lives through blood donation and take out the title.
In 2013 the Emergency Services combined to help
save over 6,000 lives – an incredible achievement
and testament to the remarkable contributions these
organisations make to the Australian community.
Tasmania’s inaugural Club Red launch saw more than 15 participating local businesses and groups attend
breakfast to learn more about the Blood Service’s group blood donation program.
The Australian Red Cross Centenary
Australian Red Cross is proudly celebrating 100 years of people
helping people.
VIC/TAS
Our Centenary is a story about the extraordinary generosity and compassion
of everyday Australians. It’s our chance to thank generations of Australians
who have served the nation during times of war, disaster or personal crisis
and through the blood service.
Share your story of helping or being helped
Share your story of helping or being helped or tell us about your vision
for Red Cross. You can send your words, pictures, audio and video to our
website, via email or by post. Visit the Centenary Story Collection at
www.redcross.org.au/centenary, email [email protected] or
post stories to: Centenary Stories, GPO Box 2952, Melbourne Vic 3001.
Celebrating the Australian Red Cross Centenary, with a garden party in the
grounds of Government House, Hobart, were the Governor of Tasmania Hon. Peter
Underwood, Navy Commanding Officer for Tasmania Stacey Porter, and the Blood
Service’s Community Relations Officer, Graham Innes.
7
Special donors save
thousands of unborn babies
Every month over 11,000 Anti-D injections
are given to mothers from across Australia.
These donors all have a negative blood type and
also have an antibody called Anti-D.
These injections are used to prevent Haemolytic
Disease of the Newborn (HDN), a serious
condition that without Anti-D could affect and
cause serious complications to the babies of 17
per cent of mothers.
Few people and even fewer donors are able to
produce Anti-D which means the Blood Service rely
heavily on a small group of donors to supply this
special, life-saving product.
HDN is caused when a mother has a negative
blood type and her baby has a positive blood type.
During pregnancy a small amount of the baby’s
blood can pass into the mother’s blood stream.
This causes the mother’s body to produce
antibodies that can destroy the baby’s red blood
cells and can lead to serious complications for the
baby, including severe anaemia, brain damage and
in some cases the baby’s death.
To prevent HDN, Anti-D injections are given to
pregnant women who have a negative blood group.
They receive the injections twice while pregnant
and once after the delivery of their baby.
Anti-D injections are available thanks to the
donations made by a unique group of blood donors
with Rh (D) negative blood.
Laraine Shearwin is one of 34 special donors
currently part of the Anti-D program in South
Australia. She was approached to join ten years
ago when it was first introduced in the state.
“If I ever get sick, I would hope
that someone would be there
to help me in the same way.”
Laraine had been a blood donor since she was 18.
She was familiar with Anti-D, having received it
herself during her pregnancy and agreed to take part.
Ten years on Laraine has made a total of 250
donations and currently donates as often as
fortnightly.
“I see it as a way of volunteering. I factor the time
into my fortnightly schedule” Laraine said.
Remarkably, her donations have contributed to
saving the lives of 2500 babies, but she is humble
about her achievements.
“It’s not just me; there are many wonderful people
who help by donating blood. All donated blood is
used for something valuable,” Laraine said.
Only a very select group of donors are able to give
Anti-D, but many more people can help by simply
becoming blood donors.
Generally, if you’re aged between 16 and 70 and
feeling healthy and well you may be able to
donate blood.
Laraine is very passionate about getting more
people involved.
“More people, and particularly young people,
should donate. It takes very little of your time but
you are doing a great thing for others, including
children with cancer,” she said.
“If I ever get sick, I would hope that someone
would be there to help me in the same way.”
This year is the tenth year of the Anti-D program in
South Australia.
The Blood Service Medical Services team celebrating Laraine’s 250th donation Pictured from left: Julie-Anne Bates, Dr. Carolyn Wilson, Laraine Shearwin,
Jessie Wallis, Dr. Jan Maddern and Dr. Helen Ingham.
8
SA/NT
WINTER 2014
Give blood for those who give life this World Blood Donor Day
World Blood Donor Day took place on
Saturday 14 June to thank blood donors for
their generous, life-saving gift.
Blood donors selflessly give the gift of life to
people they’ll never meet. When we think of people
receiving blood, we think of cancer patients and
road accident victims.
In fact, a recent study by the University of Sydney
found that over the last decade the number of
women needing transfusions when they give birth
has risen dramatically.
According to the research, the rate of
haemorrhage recorded had almost doubled,
from four to seven per cent of births, and
as many as one in 10 women could be
experiencing it.
We often forget there is another group of patients
who need blood – mothers.
This year World Blood Donor Day focussed on why
access to blood is essential to save the lives of
women giving birth.
The rate of blood transfusions had increased 33
per cent, to 1.6 per cent of mothers.
Every day about 800 women around the world die
from pregnancy or childbirth-related complications,
according to the World Health Organisation and
timely access to safe blood and blood products is
essential to prevent this.
The Blood Service requires over 27,000 donations
per week to keep the blood supply flowing.
One in three Australians will need blood or blood
products in their lifetime, yet only one
in three donates.
Severe bleeding during delivery and after childbirth
is a major cause of mortality and long-term
disability, so blood transfusions are essential.
Some may be surprised to learn that in a developed
country like Australia, women are not immune to the
dangers of childbirth.
Safe blood for saving mothers
Students sign up to save lives
Students from High Schools across Perth
have signed up to be Youth Ambassadors for
the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.
The Youth Ambassador Program teaches one
teacher and four students from participating schools
all about giving blood and how they have the ability
to help save the lives of many Australians.
The Kolling Institute at the
University of Sydney studied every
birth in New South Wales in the
vic/tas
past 10 years. It found one in 71
women needed a blood transfusion
during or after the birth of their
baby, with even more experiencing haemorrhage.
The Schools Challenge encourages students to
donate together as a group with their friends. At
the same time it encourages and educates the next
generation of blood donors about Australia’s need
for blood and how students can help save lives.
At the ages of just 16 and 17, the Youth
Ambassadors are an inspiring example to
For more information about blood
donation call 13 14 95 or visit
donateblood.com.au
community members of all ages. Their generosity
and community spirit make a life-saving difference
to blood recipients from all over the country.
Not only are they making a commitment to
save lives personally, they’re also dedicated to
encouraging other students to do the same through
blood donation as part of the Schools Challenge.
With 28,500 new youth donors needed this year,
the Blood Service is calling on more schools to sign
up to their Youth Ambassador Program.
As part of their training, the new Blood Service
ambassadors enjoyed a training day at the Perth
Donor Centre. Here they were able to meet other
donors and tour the facility to learn about what
happens to the blood after it’s donated. They
were also treated to a visit from Blood Service
mascot Billy the Blood Drop.
A Youth Ambassador’s role includes organising
blood drives at their school, giving presentations
to other students promoting blood donation,
and booking visits to the local blood donor
centre. They are responsible for encouraging
and assisting other students to make a blood
donation as part of the Schools Challenge.
WA
The new Blood Service ambassadors learning about blood donation with Billy the Blood Drop.
9
VIC/TAS
Above: Former employees enjoying the new look of the Melbourne Processing Centre;
and left: Trish Richards with her colleagues circa 1960.
Blast from the past
It’s not every day people get to visit the
organisation they worked for up to 60
years ago, but for six former Australian
Red Cross Blood Service employees
the chance to visit the Blood Service’s
Melbourne Processing Centre (MPC) was
too good to pass up.
The former nurses aids, laboratory worker, Store
Supervisor and Operations Manager all took
the time recently to tour the state of the art,
award winning facilities at MPC as part of their
quarterly lunch catch up.
A former nursing aid, Jill Doyle, began taking
blood at the Flinders St Donor and Processing
Centre in 1965, and spent most of her career
taking blood at the donor centre at the Royal
Women’s Hospital until it closed in 1991. She
observed many changes over the years.
“Most [donors] were introduced to blood donation
because they were relatives of patients,” Jill said.
“My work included sharpening needles, and
because blood donations were collected in glass
bottles we had to keep shaking the bottles to
ensure the anti-coagulant was well mixed. That’s
why we were called ‘shakers’!
10
“We even made the crochet bags for hanging the
bottles. When plastic bags came in during the
early 1970s it was a lot better, but we still had
to rock them by hand before automated shakers
came in.
We even made the crochet
bags for hanging the bottles.
“It was just one of the things you always had to
think of while you talked to the donor”.
Trish Richards, also a nurses aid, joined in the
1960s remembered the hard work setting up
demountable units in country halls – carrying
heavy canvas donor stretchers up steps,
often on cold winter mornings. Another nurses
aid, Liz Scully, shared similar memories, and
fondly remembered the camaraderie of weekly
country trips.
Liz Edwards worked in the laboratory making
blood cell panels – kits that contain small blood
samples of known type to allow hospitals to
determine the blood type of patients. Meeting up
with several long serving current staff with whom
she used to worked was a real thrill.
Former Operations Manager Syd Guthrie has
worked in three Melbourne-based blood processing
centres since he began working for what was then
called the Red Cross Blood Transfusion Service,
and was delighted to visit a fourth.
Syd began working at the Transfusion Service
when it was based at the Royal Melbourne
Hospital in 1956. The service only remained
at the Hospital for another three years before
operations moved to 114 Flinders Street – a
location many long-term donors still remember.
Two decades later in 1979, the Blood Service
relocated to the South Melbourne (Southbank)
processing centre, where it stayed home until
2012. The South Melbourne processing centre was
at the time, state-of-the-art, with many features
gleaned from visits to overseas blood services.
After retiring in the 1990s Syd was delighted to see
the ‘truly magnificent new Melbourne Processing
Centre’ incorporating some of the design features
he had originally advocated for some 35 years prior.
While amazed and impressed by the
developments and improvements that had been
made, one thing was exactly the same. The blood
being processed was only there because of the
generosity of volunteer blood donors.
WINTER 2014
Multi-award winner What
wins greatest battle yet Heroes Do
WA
Twenty-four year old Emerson Lievense has
an impressive resume. At age 16 he was the
youngest person to be employed offshore in
the oil and gas industry. On the completion
of his apprenticeship he soon became the
youngest tradesperson on site. He is now
an instrument/electrical maintenance
technician at Woodside Energy.
He has won a Rotary Youth Leadership Award, has
been a Pride of Australia – Courage Award finalist,
has received an award for WA Apprentice of the
Year and was a finalist in the national Australian
Apprentice of the Year Award. That was just 2010.
In 2011 the honours he received included WA Youth
Volunteer of the Year, an Edith Cowan University
Award for Leadership, a WA Youth of the Year
finalist, and he won the Group Training Australia
Australian Apprentice of the Year and the Mark Allen
Memorial Safety Award. In 2012, he won a Gold Duke
of Edinburgh’s Award.
Believe it or not, his greatest achievement is not
even listed, because in 2011 Emerson became a
cancer survivor.
Emerson was a fit, healthy 20 year old when he
noticed a small lump under his arm and, thanks
to his father’s insistence, went for a check-up at
the doctors. That small pea-sized lump turned out
to be just one of a number of aggressive tumours
scattered throughout his body. Emerson had a rare
and aggressive form of lymphoma, known as T-cell
histiocyte rich diffuse large B cell lymphoma.
The next seven months of Emerson’s life became
a blur as he took on the fight of his life. After first
undergoing surgery to remove his dying spleen, he
then underwent intensive chemotherapy. As if he
hadn’t endured enough, during this time he also
developed an antibiotic-resistant golden staph
infection which nearly killed him. He then had to
undergo an autologous stem-cell transplant to wipe
the cancer from his body.
It was during this battle for his life that Emerson
needed several platelet transfusions.
Today, Emerson has been in remission for three and
a-half-years and spends the majority of his free
time educating people about blood donation, men’s
health and cancer, and his latest achievement –
becoming a Blood Service Ambassador.
“When I was diagnosed I was at the height of
my physical fitness, I thought I was invincible,”
Emerson said.
“Like many people I took for granted that blood
will be there when you need it, and I had never
thought of donating blood until I had platelet
transfusions. Now I am just in awe of all the
donors who roll up their sleeves and donate
blood. They truly saved my life.
“Since I have been in remission I just get out there
as much as possible to try spread the message that
we can all donate blood.
“The lives that blood donors change and touch are
beyond measure. The gift of blood, the gift of life
goes far beyond me; it affects everyone I love, and
everyone who loves me.
“By donating blood you will change the world for a
lucky individual who’s on the receiving end.”
WA
Roses are red
Violets are blue
Roll up your sleeve
You can donate too
Now let me tell you,
Exactly what you should do
On the night of your service
You should:
1 Fill up on water
2 Absorb up some sleep
3 Give yourself a reason to bulk
up and eat
Okay,
Once you sit down and ten
minutes past
You’ll soon come to realise,
It happened so fast
When you walk out
I bet you no doubt
You will feel good
So good you’ll shout
The steps of a hero you left behind
three lives you saved that day
lay in the back of your mind
Your blood is pure red
and your veins are deep blue
So are the roses
and violets too
Rolling up your sleeve is the easiest
thing a hero can do
So please donate
You know you’ll gain a good mood
Even if your motive was like mine
and all for the food
by Sophie Nguyen,
Youth Ambassador at Mercy College, WA
Blood Service Ambassadors, Emerson and Billy the Blood Drop promoting blood donation.
11
1
Crossword
ACROSS
1. Male voice
3
7
4
5
6
8
DOWN
1. Expel from country
5. Out of harm’s way
2. Vexed
7. Shaving cut
3. Atmosphere layer
8. Flying around (planet)
4. Plant seed part
9. Pacify
5. Resolve
12. New experience
2
9
10
11
12
13
14
6. Nervously
15. More verdant
10. Foundation
19. Numb
11. Atop
21. Supplied funds for
12. Neither
22. Mellow
13. Ballot
23. Dip into drink
14. Indecent
24. Surgeons’ workplaces
15. Hooked (fish) with pole
15
16
17
18
19
20
16. Venture forth
17. Evoke
18. Positive electrodes
21
22
19. Evade
20. Confess
23
24
Sudoku
Fill the grid so that every column, every row and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 to 9
Solutions
K
D U N
R
E
I
N
N C
A
I
B
F
M
A
E
G R
H
S
U
E
O
P
A
D U
E
I
K
N
I
C
R
A
I
B
A
N
R
E
E
A
D
D
R
M
Z
O N
A
Y
M
E
L
D
O
D
E
N
A
E
E
L
T
T
I
I
N G
E
S
Y
L
T
I
S
E
I
L
R
B
E
W
O
N O V
O R
R
D
E
T
O
E
T
I
O
N
T
E
G
L
S
B
H
I
D
A
F
E
12
F
T
Thanks to Lovatts Crosswords &
Puzzles for supplying these puzzles.

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