The NSW Police Force, together with the NSW Police Association, will once again roll-up their sleeves to donate blood as part of the ‘Bleed4Blue’ campaign.
The ‘Bleed4Blue’ campaign, which is now in its second year, is a law enforcement-focused blood drive that was launched following the stabbing of Detective Sergeant John Breda on Australia Day 2018.
Det Sgt John Breda lost almost 12 litres of blood as the medical team worked to save his life after he was stabbed during a police operation at Maroubra.
It took more than 100 bags of blood to keep him going, including 48 bags in one six-hour surgery.
The first ‘Bleed4Blue’ campaign which ran between December 2018 and February 2019 in partnership with the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, received more than 4000 blood donations and saved up to 12,000 lives.
NSW Police Force Commissioner Michael Fuller APM, joined Det Sgt Breda and police officers from across the Sydney Metropolitan area, to launch the second annual blood drive at the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, Parramatta Donor Centre, today (Friday 29 November 2019).
“The Bleed4Blue campaign shows just how strong the policing family is when it comes together to support each other and the entire community,” Commissioner Fuller said.
“We know that one in three Australians will need blood or blood products in their lifetime, and this includes our police officers who risk their lives on a daily basis to protect and serve.
“Together with our colleagues from across the country, we helped save a staggering 12,000 lives during the last blood drive. This year, we hope to save even more with help of law enforcement family and friends, and the community.
“We would encourage anyone that has the ability to donate blood or plasma to think about making a booking over summer. Just one blood donation can save up to three people’s lives,” Commissioner Fuller said.
Lifeblood spokesperson Linda Rendal-Jones said the campaign was one of the biggest community blood drives in the country last year.
“Last year there were 4,061 blood donations made as part of the challenge, with more than one thousand of those coming from NSW police, a truly incredible achievement,” Ms Rendal-Jones said.
The ‘Bleed4Blue’ campaign will run between December 2019 until the end of February 2020 and will again challenge police from across Australia to take part to see which state or territory can donate the most blood during the campaign.
The NSW Police Force took out the challenge in its first year with 1176 bags of blood donated.
For more information on donating visit www.donateblood.com.au/bleed-4-blue.
AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS LIFEBLOOD INFORMATION
Blood donation basics
- One in three Australians will need blood or blood products in their lifetime
- One blood donation can save up to three lives
- 9 million Australians are eligible to give blood but only 500,000 actively do so
- Australia needs almost 29,000 donations every week to meet demand
- Giving blood takes only one hour of your time and it can save up to three lives
- There is no substitute for blood and we need blood of every type, every day to save the lives of thousands of Australians
- The Blood Service needs to collect more than 1.5 million donations every year to meet patient demand
- If you are aged between 18-75 years and are feeling well, you may be eligible to donate blood
- Please call 13 14 95 or visit www.lifeblood.com.au to make an appointment
Donated blood is used for:
- 34% goes to people with cancer and blood diseases
- 19% goes to people with other causes of anaemia
- 18% goes to surgical patients (including open heart surgery and burns)
- 4% goes to pregnant women, new mothers
- 2% goes to trauma patients, including road accidents
