LIFEBLOOD HERO

50th blood donation milestone achievement

Committing to a cause is often easier said than done, but Stewart McKeddie proves he is in it for the long run with his 50th blood donation completed through the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood.

Stewart’s journey as a blood donor stretches back 50 years, with a third of his donations occurring before he started at Cummins, where he is an OEM and Major Accounts Manager for Mining. It has been about nine years since he resumed donating following a break. We asked Stewart more about volunteering and what it is like to be a donor.

What motivated you to be a donor?

“I give blood because I can. I’m O negative, which means it’s a highly sought-after blood because they can use it across the board, so it’s a good blood type. I did look at donating plasma, which can be given more regularly – just about every month – but they won’t take my plasma because they want my blood!

How would you sum up your experience donating over the years?

“It’s a good feeling, to donate blood and know it’s going somewhere, that it has helped someone especially because [the Red Cross is] always short. They always keep you informed of what is going on; they let you know your blood’s being used somewhere. Donating blood helps across the board, it’s not only good for most people but young children as well.”

How does it feel to receive this certificate?

“It was a nice thing to receive on top of everything. I don’t do it for recognition, I do it because it’s a good thing to do. Just a nice bit of recognition on top of donating blood.”

What would you say to employees who are considering donating?

“I think everybody, if they have a chance, should do it. It doesn’t take much time and is included in your hours. No one’s going to push back and say, ‘no you can’t go and give blood’. It’s pretty painless, doesn’t hurt your body and is a good result for everybody.”

The importance of blood donations

Red Cross statistics show one in three Australians will need blood in their lifetime but only one in 30 people donates. Donated blood can be used for varied purposes. Only 2% is used for road incidents and trauma. Donated red blood cells are more commonly used to help people combating disease or undergoing surgery.

How you can help:

Blood donations can be recorded as an Every Employee Every Community (EEEC) event with Cummins. To know more about donating, visit https://www.lifeblood.com. au/blood/learn-about-blood/why-donate-blood To check your eligibility, take the quiz at https://www.lifeblood. com.au/blood/eligibility#can-i-give-blood

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