FOR the past 15 years Janelle Beath of Orange has volunteered to donate blood and plasma at the Red Cross Blood Donor Centre.
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She is among about 60 people from the Orange region who have donated 50 times and who were recognised at an awards presentation yesterday evening at the Orange Ex Services’ Club as part of National Blood Donor Week.
The most donations have been by a Forbes man who has donated, mostly plasma, more than 600 times.
Mrs Beath has donated about 55 times so far and said she planned to start donating more plasma, which can be donated more regularly than whole blood and is also more versatile.
“I thought a lot about it for a long time but actually it was the Bali bombing that gave it a kick-start,” she said.
“It was shocking seeing all the injured people and dead people, it brought it back home.”
Mrs Beath said she could donate whole blood every 12 weeks and plasma every two weeks, unless she has just donated whole blood, then she has to wait a month to donate plasma.
“It’s whenever you like,” she said.
“It doesn’t take much time out of your day and it doesn’t hurt, it’s a little pin prick, it’s no huge deal and you are helping other people in the process.
“I try and do more plasma than whole blood because you can help more people with plasma donations ... plasma can be made into 18 different products, blood can be made into three different components so it can help three different people.”
This year’s theme for National Blood Donor Week is Celebrate the Extraordinary.
There are about 500,000 blood donors across Australia and about 6000 were recognised for make 50 donations or more.
To donate blood phone 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au.
tanya.marshke@fairfaxmedia.com.au