Donate blood
How blood donation helps cancer patients
About a third of donated blood in Australia is used for cancer patients. Of these, patients with blood cancers such as leukaemias, lymphomas or myeloma require a significant amount of donated blood for life-saving treatment.
The majority of donated blood is separated at the Australian Red Cross Blood Service into three components:
- red cells;
- platelets; and
- plasma
The average amount of blood products required for treatment of an acute leukaemia patient includes:
- 9 units (250mls/unit) of red cells each month, or
- 36 x units (30mls/unit) of platelets each month
Each unit is extracted from 470ml of blood which is an average blood donation. As a result, to treat one patient with acute leukaemia for one month needs 45 people to donate blood.
On average, treatment of leukaemias, lymphomas and myeloma lasts for eight months but can last for years.
How to donate blood
If you would like to give blood, contact the Australian Red Cross Blood Service
on 13 14 95, their national donor information line.
