National Blood Donor Week ran from 18 – 24 July.
A media campaign ensured stories of dedicated donors and recipients appeared in regional and metro newspapers and on radio programs across the country. Celebrity chef Curtis Stone supported the campaign by visiting a donor centre and talking about the Blood Service on Channel 7’s Sunrise and Channel 9’s Mornings with Kerri-Anne.
More than 1,900 donors were recognised for milestone donations at National Blood Donor Week functions around the country.
The statistics show that media attention throughout the week inspired the community to donate blood. A total of 1,472 people registered to donate through the donateblood website, a 26 per cent increase from last year’s National Blood Donor Week and almost double average weekly registrations. There was a six per cent increase in calls to the Blood Service’s National Contact Centre from the previous week and almost 14,000 appointments were booked, a 10 per cent increase on the week before.
Australian companies got behind National Blood Donor Week by changing email signatures, uploading web banners on their internal websites and organising group blood donations.
To find out more about National Blood Donor Week, or any Blood Service donor activity, go to www.donateblood.com.au
