Blood ties run deep for close-knit siblings

THREE siblings ticked over a combined 1000 blood donations earlier this week in a tribute to their sister, Rosemary Taylor, who has needed several transfusions herself after being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2022.

With over 10,000 donations needed in Australia every week for cancer treatment alone, the family’s story underscores the ongoing pressure on Australia’s blood supply and the stark need for more donors to meet patient demand.

Marking the occasion at the Red Cross Lifeblood Bendigo Donor Centre in High Street, Ms Taylor – who has been donating since the age of 18 – said she only felt the true impact that donors deliver after her diagnosis.

“I don’t care how many donations you give, because until you’re on the other end of it, it’s a different story,” she said.

“You realise ‘Wow, this is what I’ve been doing, I’ve been saving a lot of lives’.

“Becoming a donor really does save lives and it’s something that costs you nothing but your time.”

Her brother Dave Roberts, who has racked up around 230 donations and adds to his tally every fortnight, said for anyone who claims they’d like to give blood but don’t have the spare hours in the day, the answer is “we all have the same amount of time”.

“We have 24 hours a day each and we choose to spend some of that sleeping and some of that working and some doing other things.

“Giving blood is something you can really feel good about – it’s a choice, it’s a great choice of time.”

If you are considering donating, you can register via lifeblood.com.au