Dr Sally Cockburn

Dr Sa y Cockburn, GP GIVES HER UNIQUE VIEW ON ALL MATTERS MEDICAL

WILL YOU TAKE THE BLOODY OATH? Are you inspired by frontline workers and feeling ready to fi nd ways to contribute to the community? What If I said this contribution doesn’t require you to donate money, run, swim or exert yourself at all? Yep, the challenge for this vital activity is simply to sit in a chair for a while and relax. Too easy? Bloody oath!

I’m talking about donating blood. A gift you give for free that saves other people’s lives. However, according to the Australian Red Cross’ Lifeblood* service, while many committed donors have been incredibly supportive over the past two diffi cult years, the pandemic has really impacted on blood donations. Across Australia more than 4500 blood donation appointments were not being attended every day. In December 2021, the number of people cancelling was the highest for the past two years. This trend needs urgent action.

The need for blood products is at a 10-year high, and while our population has grown by three million in that time, the number of donors has not kept pace. While it is understandable that lockdown would make donors hesitant to attend blood donation appointments, it’s now very much time to review our ‘bloody oath’.

We are all overwhelmed with daily media tallies of Covid cases but we must not forget that trauma and other illnesses are still happening and critical blood requirements for non-Covid related patients continue regardless of the pandemic. Road trauma, cancer and complications of giving birth don’t just stop because of the pandemic and these people often need precious blood donations to survive.

Lifeblood is looking for all blood types but is particularly seeking O negative because that group is the ‘universal’ blood type. If you don’t know what your blood group is — you’ll learn this when you donate!

In relation to specifi c issues during the pandemic:

✔ You can give blood after Covid infection but need to be symptom-free for seven days before donating. ✔ Lifeblood ask that you wait three days after a vaccination, simply to ensure you are feeling well enough.

On the plus side, Lifeblood donation centres have extended their operating hours — so if you’re feeling well, not in isolation or waiting on a test result, you may well be eligible.

If you’ve been a regular donor, please remember your bloody oath. If you’ve never donated, now is a good time to consider how you can contribute to help others.

Unfortunately, not everyone is eligible to take the bloody oath and I’m one of those excluded from giving blood due to time spent in the UK in the 1980s, when they had the ‘Mad Cow’ disease scare (some unkindly suggest this may explain a lot about me, hmm). Lifeblood currently has a submission to review this exclusion with the TGA, so watch this space. The sexual activity deferral policy is also constantly being reviewed in relation to blood-borne infection risks. Another issue you need to address before donating is low iron — your GP can test for and manage this.

If you are aged between 18 and 75, are healthy and well, the chances are you are eligible to donate. If you’re not sure that you can donate, please don’t rule yourself out. Contact Lifeblood on 13 14 95 or take the eligibility quiz at lifeblood.com.au or on the DonateBlood app.