Every two weeks Stewart Chapman donates plasma at the Orange Blood Donor Centre and on Wednesday staff greeted him with gifts and balloons to celebrate his 300th donation.
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Mr Chapman said he started donating because one of his brothers donated blood and apart from a couple of periods he hasn’t stopped.
“I started with whole blood first then when plasma came in I did both then now I just do plasma,” he said.
The donor centre is encouraging more people to follow his lead because it will need more than 340 donations at the Orange centre this Christmas in order to prevent a shortage of blood stocks vital to the treatment of cancer patients.
Blood will be needed by road accident patients, pregnant mums, cancer patients and even premature babies every day this Christmas and New Year’s
- Blood Service spokesman John Feist
Appointment are especially needed between Monday, December 17 and Wednesday, January 2.
Blood Service spokesman John Feist said it was the most important Secret Santa people would ever do.
“If Secret Santa is about giving anonymous gifts, designed to make someone’s day, then blood donation really is Australia’s ultimate Secret Santa exchange,” he said.
“Blood will be needed by road accident patients, pregnant mums, cancer patients and even premature babies every day this Christmas and New Year’s.”
Mr Feist said stocks of platelets, a blood component vital to the treatment of cancer patients, were particularly at risk during the Christmas period.
To make an appointment to give blood or find out more about Australia’s Biggest Secret Santa, call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au.
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Tanya Marschke
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
I am based at Orange and cover a wide range of subjects as well as the weekly business column. I've worked consistently in the the media industry since 2006 including the past seven years at the Central Western Daily. Before moving to Orange, I worked as a journalist at weekly newspapers the Beaudesert Times and the Gold Coast Sun in Queensland, as well as the Scone Advocate in the Hunter Valley. I started my career at the Ridge News in Lightning Ridge while I completed my journalism studies remotely at Charles Sturt University in Bathurst.
