More blood donors needed to help people living with cancer

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood and the Cancer Council have joined forces to urge Australians to support people living with cancer by donating blood and plasma.

World Cancer Day was observed earlier this month (February 4), and the two organisations are reminding potential donors that those living with cancer are not only the biggest users of donated blood in Australia, but are also more reliant on blood than ever before.

More than 10,000 blood donations are needed every week to support people living with cancer.

With diagnoses predicted to increase by 72 per cent by 2040, cancer patients will need even more donors to support them over the next decade.

“Almost one in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85 and the number of Australians living with, or beyond cancer in 2040 is expected to reach 1.9 million people, up from 1 million people in 2018,” Cancer Council chief executive officer Professor Tanya Buchanan said.

“An increase in cancer diagnoses means more blood and plasma will be needed to treat Australians currently living with cancer and diagnosed in the coming years. It takes many hands to tackle cancer and with this in mind, we have joined forces with Lifeblood to help raise awareness that donating blood is a great way to support someone living with cancer,” she said.

Lifeblood executive director of donor experience, Cath Stone, said 34 per cent of blood products are used by cancer patients.

“There is a common misconception that most blood is used in trauma and emergency situations, but a third of blood and blood products are used by cancer patients, making them Australia’s largest users of donated blood.

“With the number of cancer diagnoses set to increase significantly, we need more donors. In fact, we need 100,000 new donors this year alone.”

More than three-quarters (76 per cent) of Australians know someone who has or has had cancer, but a majority does not know how blood and plasma helps cancer patients (54 per cent percent say they do not know anyone who has received a blood product, while a further 13 per cent are unsure).

People living with cancer often need many transfusions of blood, plasma, or plasma medicines during their treatment.

On average, one acute leukaemia patient in treatment needs nine units of red cells every month, or 36 units of platelets each month, with four donors needed to make up each bag of platelets. They could need one or both products for the duration of their diagnosis, which can last anywhere from eight months to years.

To help raise awareness of how donated blood and plasma can help people living with cancer, Melbourne-based designer and blood donor Beci Orpin has created a limited-edition bandage, featuring a sunny daffodil print, which will be rolled onto the arms of donors at Lifeblood donor centres throughout February.

To book a donation, phone 13 14 95 or book online at lifeblood.com.au or on the DonateBlood app.

If you need to talk about cancer, phone Cancer Council on 13 11 20