Whether you’ve donated once or a hundred times, every drop helps the one in three Australians who will need a donated blood transfusion or product in their lifetime.

In the past 12 months, 4,300 donors from the region have helped to make 7,800 donations at our mobile donor centre, and some of you may even have donated at our Newcastle Donor Centre.

This year we’re doing more than just thanking all of you ‘bloody legends’ across the nation – we’re asking those who make one donation a year to make another.

This seemingly small act can make a big difference – yet those who only give once a year are not always aware of what a second donation could mean to patients in need.

Our own figures show us that 40 percent of all current donors only make one donation per year. In contrast, only 10 percent of donors make four or more donations annually. 

Across the nation, there have been 181,000 of these once-a- year donors.

We know you already do your best to squeeze that lifesaving donation into your busy lifestyle, but we’re sure you can spare one more hour to make a lifetime of difference.

The simple truth is: if you each give us a second donation within 12 months, then it’s possible we may never need to urgently appeal for blood again, because we’d have a sufficient contingency of donors in reserve.

I would like to finish by saying, yet again, a big thank you to all of our donors across the Port Stephens region – you’re all bloody legends. 

I’d also like to remind you that we are entering the thick of winter, and we know that many regular donors will fall ill and that we’ll need new ones – or as mentioned above, repeat donors – to lend an arm and give blood.

You’re always welcome at our Newcastle Donor Centre if passing through, but we’ll also be in the local area with the mobile donor centre on:

To give blood, you’ll need an appointment. You can make one by calling 13 14 95 or visiting donateblood.com.au.