Australian Red Cross Lifeblood donors
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood highest rate of donors by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare workers
Transcript
00:00 [ Background noise ]
00:14 >> So I'm Megan Phelan.
00:15 I work at the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
00:17 and I've been there just over a year and a half.
00:19 >> And this is your first time donating?
00:21 >> Yes, blood or plasma, yeah.
00:23 >> Okay. And why, what made you decide to donate now?
00:27 >> I think it's just something I've always wanted to do
00:29 and the AHW make it really like an easy process.
00:33 They pick you up and take you back and you can go
00:35 with colleagues and just makes you a little bit more
00:37 comfortable so, yeah, it's well encouraged in the organization.
00:40 I think that's a big reason.
00:41 >> The Red Cross Lifeblood Donor Centre,
00:43 we have our donors come in to donate.
00:46 They can do different types of donations
00:50 from blood donation, plasma and platelets.
00:52 They go through a questionnaire first to be able to donate
00:56 to ensure that they're safe for them and safe
00:59 for the patients to receive their blood.
01:01 They'll have a little health check with our nurses and sit
01:05 in our chairs and make their donation
01:09 and then get spoilt rotten having a refreshment at the end.
01:13 For a blood donation, we say allow an hour for your donation.
01:18 You're in the chair for 10 to 15 minutes.
01:21 For plasma, you're in the chair for 40 to 45 minutes
01:25 and platelets is just a little longer than the plasma donation.
01:29 But we do say you include the time for your interviews
01:35 and the refreshments at the end.
01:37 >> Lifeblood Champion recruits donors from the workplace,
01:41 organizes group donations and follows them up and supports them
01:48 through the donation process and organizes donations for Lifeblood.
01:55 >> I personally donate platelets and I donate every two weeks.
02:00 I donate platelets simply
02:03 because that's what my blood is suitable for.
02:06 [ Background noise ]