Service: ‘We still need blood’

Teacher Beth Dortmans was among Wimmera residents who took an opportunity to roll up their sleeves for a good cause during a mobile donor centre visit to Horsham this month.

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood’s mobile service has attended the rural city regularly since 2015 after the closure of Horsham’s blood bank.

Miss Dortmans made her 11th blood donation last week.

“It’s something little I can do to help someone else,” she said.

“One day it might be me, or someone I love, who needs it.”

Miss Dortmans encouraged other eligible Wimmera residents to consider donating.

“It’s low effort, high reward and you get a nice little snack afterwards,” she said.

“It only takes 30 or 40 minutes, in and out, and you can do something good for someone else. It’s good.”

Lifeblood spokeswoman Stephanie Reynolds said despite pandemic conditions, blood donations remained vital.

“During COVID, donating blood is an essential act of caregiving,” she said.

“So no matter what, you can leave your home to donate blood.

“We still need blood – there’s still patients in hospital, there’s still people who need it to live a full and healthy life, some need it just to survive.”

Ms Reynolds said all Lifeblood centres had COVID-19 protocols in place to ensure safety of donors and staff.

Appointments for this visit are booked out but the mobile donor centre will return to Horsham in late November-early December for three weeks.

People can visit donateblood. com.au for more information or to make an appointment.