A SPECIAL group of Hastings residents were honoured this week for their selfless commitment to regular blood donation.
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As a part of National Blood Donor Week, the Mid North Coast Red Cross Blood Service hosted a thank you dinner for 46 champion blood donors who have made their 50th donation or more.
Held at Sails Resort on Wednesday, Blood Service spokesperson Greg French said the event marked a milestone for each and every donor who has remained committed to giving a little bit to make a significant difference to the lives of others.
The 46 donors are among more than half a million Australians who donate blood every year.
"Between them they have made 4700 donations - which is more than 2000 litres of blood flowing from Port Macquarie to more than 600 hospitals around Australia," Mr French said.
More than 1.3 million blood donations are made every year across Australia, helping more than 3.9 million people."
National Blood Donor Week is an annual event to recognise the outstanding, lifesaving contributions of blood, bone marrow and Anti-D donors.
The donations made by Hastings residents are used every day by people involved in road accidents to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
The donors were able to meet a local recipient of donated blood, Tim Jackson, who spoke of how one small blood donation can help save the lives of three people.
Twenty-year-old Tim was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a common form of childhood cancer, at the age of 10. He has spent his young life battling the disease with years of chemotherapy, lumbar punctures, bone marrow biopsies, blood and platelet transfusions.
"We lost count of the number of blood products Tim received," mum Sue said. "Once his blood count was very low and there were no blood stocks of his type in NSW so we had to stay in hospital until their could be sourced from interstate.
"I had no idea before Tim's illness how crucial blood donations were. Tim would not be alive today without them."
It takes less than one hour to make a blood donation. To become a donor, call 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au