ORANGE blood donors saved more than 12,000 lives last year, the latest figures have found, while more than 40,000 lives were saved thanks to the generosity of residents across the Central West.
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During 2018 there were 13,420 blood donations made across the region, which represented a drop on the 13,951 donations received in the year before.
There were 4162 blood donations made in Orange, with the Kite Street donation centre hosting more blood and plasma donations than any other Central West location in 2018
An Australian Red Cross Blood Service spokeswoman said that with three lives saved from every donation, those figures amounted to 40,260 lives saved by Central West donors last year.
Our job is to increase the number of donors in those areas and work on encouraging people to give more frequently. The average is one to two times per year.
- Australian Red Cross Blood Service spokeswoman
Plasma was also regularly donated by people across the Central West, with the number of donations increasing year-on-year.
Last year, 7886 plasma donations were made which was up up 2.4 per cent on the year before when 7703 donations were received.
Plasma can only be donated at the region’s permanent donor centres which are located in Dubbo and Orange.
“Our blood donor centres provide regular openings hours, open six days per week, making it easy for locals in those areas to give,” the ARCBS spokeswoman said.
“They also have the flexibility to collect plasma and whole blood, meaning we can respond to changing blood demand on a daily basis.
“Each day, this can change, depending on what blood types/donation types are needed most by hospitals across the state.”
The ARCBS spokeswoman said there were no current plans to introduce any other temporary or permanent blood and plasma donor centres into the region.
“The existing network of donor centres and mobiles across NSW have the capacity to collect what is required, our job is to increase the number of donors in those areas – around three per cent of the population donate – and work on encouraging people to give more frequently,” she said.
“The average is one to two times per year.”
Visit www.donateblood.com.au or call 13 14 95 to find out more.
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