GIANTS star Jack Buckley has joined forces with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood and the Cancer Council in a call to increase blood donations as part of the ‘Stand Up to Cancer, (While Sitting Down)’ campaign.
Currently more than 10,000 blood donations are needed every week to support over one million people living with or beyond cancer. This is expected to increase by a staggering 72 per cent in the next 22 years, which means even more blood donors will be needed over the coming decades.
People living with cancer are Australia’s biggest users of donated blood, with 34 per cent of all donated blood collected in Australia used to treat cancer and blood diseases.
The ‘Stand Up to Cancer, (While Sitting Down)’ campaign is particularly close to Buckley, with the 26-year-old coming on board to share his story and encourage the community to play their part by simply donating blood for those in need.
“It’s a cause very close to my heart and my family,” Buckley said.
“I lost my mother Kim to breast cancer twenty years ago, and it’s something you have to live with for the rest of your life.
“Sharing a story is some perspective that someone might be able to relate to and get them to get up and take some sort of action as well.
“I’m fortunate enough to be in a position to be able to share my story, but so many people don’t get a platform to release those kind of emotions and stories.
“A way of being able to do that is by going out and taking action such as donating blood, a way of connecting your story and actually putting some action to it and feeling like you’re doing something positive with it.”
76 per cent of Australians know someone who has or has had cancer, but the majority don’t know how blood and plasma helps cancer patients.
The ‘Stand Up to Cancer, (While Sitting Down)’ campaign aims to share insights and raise community awareness of how blood and plasma treatments are a critical part of cancer treatment.
Lifeblood’s Executive Director of Donor Experience, Cath Stone, spoke on the matter.
“With the number of cancer diagnoses set to increase significantly, we know that the demand for blood and plasma will be greater than ever over the next decade, so we need more donors. In fact, we need 100,000 new donors this year alone.”
Cancer Council CEO, Professor Sarah Hosking, also shared her insights.
“Almost one in two Australians will be diagnosed with cancer by the age of 85 and the number of Australians living with or beyond cancer in 2040 is expected to reach 1.9 million people, up from one million people in 2018.” Lifeblood and Cancer Council are calling all Australians to show their support for people living with or beyond cancer and make a donation this February.
Everyone who donates this month will receive a limited-edition bandage, designed by renowned Australian artist, Beci Orpin.
To book a donation, call 13 14 95 or book online at lifeblood.com.au or on the DonateBlood app.
