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“Donating during the festive season is important because a lot of people take a break but our need for blood doesn’t," she said.
"One of our blood products, platelets, for cancer treatment lasts only five days so we need regularity.
“One of the most common things is people becoming complacent, thinking others will contribute but 29-30 people rely on at least one out of 30 donors to help them."
Currently, West Australians have booked up donation centres until Christmas and Boxing Day. But a drop in appointments suddenly emerge between Christmas and New Year’s Eve.
The spokeswoman said the drop can be equated to many assuming blood donation centres are shut down because most businesses are closed then.
“We’ve seen a trend in a New Year’s Eve drop and we really need people in come in to our centres, open across the Perth metro area and Bunbury centre," she said.
“It takes blood donations from four people to make one bag of platelet, a clotting agent, for patients.
Cancer rates are rising each year. In 1982, there were 1,400 new cases of leukemia. By 2014, there were 3700 cases. Credit:Australian Red Cross Blood Service
“We have found people are pretty good at responding when we put out a call. I think it’s important to remember that another family will appreciate your blood as you’re saving their entire family.”
Around 30 percent of donations go towards Australians diagnosed with blood cancers, leukemia and lymphoma.
Approximately 13,000 Australians are diagnosed with these blood cancers each year.
In 2018, leukemia was the eighth most diagnosed cancer, with a 2.9 per cent rise of 3,967 cases. 1,887 people died from this cancer in 2018, with a 61 per cent chance of survival across five-years.
Lymphoma is the sixth most common cancer, with almost 600 West Australians diagnosed each year.
The spokeswoman said the rise in cancer cases means even more platelets need to be made.
“Acute patients can use up to 36 unit of platelets each month to prevent internal bleeding.”
36 units of platelets means at least 144 donors are needed monthly.
“I think it becomes even more imminent during the festive season because a lot of these patients will need more platelets to be able to go home from the hospital and spend time with family."
The spokeswoman said centres will be looking for people with all blood types but especially O-negative, the universal blood type.
Only nine percent of Australians have O-negative.
The Red Cross service is hoping donors across the blood types will come into their centres. Right now, there is a shortage of O-negative and A blood types. Credit:Australian Red Cross Blood Service
“In emergencies when the hospital doesn’t have the time to test patient’s blood, we need the O-negative, especially in rural hospitals. With such a low population of this type, we count on these donors to contribute twice since it’s almost under 20 percent of the country donating for the whole country relying on it," she said.
The Australian Red Cross Blood Service is expecting 10,000 new donors the coming month. But the spokeswoman said this doesn’t mean life-long contributors.
“Our median age group for our donors is 29 to 30-year-olds but they usually don’t come again or appear once here and there. Our frequent donors tend to donate 500-800 donations across 50 years.
“We’re hoping the 29 and 30-year-olds will step up and come in a little bit more as our stock is entirely dependant on hospitals' needs."
The appointment process is simple. Donors can book online and attend a one-hour session.
The session involves filling out eligibility paperwork, a health check with a nurse and the five-to-ten minute donation.
As a reward, refreshments will be provided at the end.
Dakshayani is a reporter for WAtoday.