A pop-up Red Cross Blood Donation Centre will be at the Victor Harbor Lutheran Church from 22 October to 25 October.

The organisation says one in three people on the south coast are likely to need blood at some stage and they need locals to give it.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood is calling for 100,000 people to become blood and plasma donors, launching a campaign asking people to find their reason to give. 

Just over 560,000 active donors currently maintain the blood and plasma supply for the Australian population of 27 million, but new donors are crucial to continue to meet the growing nation’s needs.  

Demand for blood has increased by 10 percent in the last four years, and demand for plasma in Australia and worldwide, is at an all-time high. 

The campaign highlights the many personal and life-saving reasons people choose to donate, from supporting a family member, to enjoying some quiet time and a milkshake. 

Lifeblood’s Executive Director of Donor Experience, Cath Stone says a new blood donor is needed every four minutes in Australia and the challenge is to get 100,000 new donors to have a reason to come through our doors in the next 12 months to prevent a donor shortage. 

“We’re so grateful to our wonderful regular donors who give their time so freely and who are responsible for the bulk of our collections, but we know with our ageing population and advances in treatment options they can’t do it alone,” she says. 

“We estimate just three per cent of the eligible population in Australia currently donates, and that tells us there are a lot of reasons why people don’t donate. We’re asking people to find just one reason why they should.” 

Donation times can be pre-booked online, on the Red Cross Lifeblood app or by calling 13 14 95.

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