AUSTRALIANS are being urged to roll up their sleeves this Easter, with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood issuing an urgent call for people with type O and A blood to donate as supplies come under increasing pressure.
More than 13,000 donations are needed nationwide between March 31 and April 10 to ensure hospitals can meet demand during one of the busiest periods of the year. In Queensland alone, 2,800 donors are needed.
The warning comes as fuel supply disruptions impact travel in some regional areas, prompting Lifeblood to encourage donors to give close to home where possible.
Lifeblood Executive Director Donor Experience, Cath Stone, said while donation numbers surged following the Bondi attack, bookings have since dropped in the lead-up to the Easter long weekend.
“Blood is needed every day, and demand can spike around Easter due to increased road accidents and ongoing cancer treatment needs, at a time when many regular donors take a break,” she said.
In major trauma cases, up to 100 donations can be required to save a single life. O-negative blood remains critical in emergencies because it can be used for any patient, while O-positive is increasingly relied on as a backup due to the growing number of patients with positive blood types.
Plasma donations are also in high demand, making up around half of all donations needed over Easter. These are vital in emergency departments to help control severe bleeding by replacing clotting factors.
Lifeblood is particularly encouraging donations on Good Friday, with centres open across the country throughout the long weekend.
Australians who donated in December are now eligible to give again, and thousands of first-time donors—many with O and A blood types—are being urged to return.
Appointments can be made via the Lifeblood website, app, or by calling 13 14 95.
