MUCH NEEDED: Singleton hospital’s laboratory manager and hospital scientist Danny Thompson is a regular blood donor and encourages local residents to support the mobile blood unit in town this week.
WORKING in the health front line, Danny Thompson has experienced demand for blood first hand.
“I’ve had two units of blood in the fridge and two doctors fighting over whose patient should receive it, it is a finite resource and there are times when it is difficult to meet demand,” the hospital laboratory manager and hospital scientist said last week.
That’s why he is encouraging local residents to support the mobile blood bank in Singleton this week.
He will be making his one hundred and first donation, something he started doing back in 1978 while at university.
“It is something my family has just always done,” he said.
Singleton still needs around 100 donations – more than 50 litres of blood – to secure blood stocks.
Community relations officer Nicole Tait urged people to give blood and help save the lives of patients whose need for blood can’t take a holiday.
“Cancer patients, road trauma victims, burns victims and even unborn babies will still need blood products both during and immediately after the long weekend,” she said.
“Long weekends put a strain on the nation’s blood supply. There are fewer days to collect the more than 27,000 blood donations needed every week to treat people in need.”
The mobile blood unit is looking to fill appointments from today through to Friday to ensure supplies for the long weekend.
To donate call the blood service on 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au. The Singleton mobile blood unit will be at Singleton Senior Citizens Centre car park.