What happened at Bondi Beach was a tragedy, and our hearts are with all those affected during this difficult time, particularly members of the Jewish community. If you’re looking for a way to help, you can donate blood. Lifeblood is transferring blood donations from states around the country, including Victoria, in order to support the need in Sydney. You can call them at 13 14 95, or book an appointment online. Find your nearest donor centre here.
Donating blood
Before you roll up your sleeves, check your eligibility to make sure you can give blood. Generally speaking, if you’re between 18 and 75 years old, feeling well and weigh over 50kg, you can give blood.
There may be some things that make you ineligible or cause you to postpone your donation. For example, if you recently got a tattoo, you will need to wait for 7 days before you give blood, but you can still donate plasma. If you engaged in sexual activity with someone who had HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C or human T-lymphotropic virus infection in the last 3 months, you will need to wait 3 months before you can donate blood, platelets or plasma. You can check your eligibility here or see frequently asked questions here.
Donating blood takes about ten minutes, but you should allow an hour for the full appointment time. If you’re donating plasma, it takes about 45 minutes, and up to 1.5 hours for the whole appointment. If you’re donating platelets, it takes about an hour, and roughly 2 hours for the whole appointment.
Before your appointment, bring along some form of ID, like a driver’s licence, and write down any medications that you’re taking. Drink plenty of fluids the day before, and avoid foods that are high in fat or fried. Three hours before your appointment, drink 750 mL of fluids (about 3 full glasses), eat something savoury and avoid any strenuous exercise.
After you’ve made your donation, take it easy and grab a snack and a drink from the refreshment area. Find out more about the process here.
If you’ve been feeling affected by recent events, you can contact the following for support:
- Jewish House 24/7 Crisis Line – 1300 544 357
- Lifeline – 13 11 14. They also have a wellbeing support guide about the Bondi Beach attack.
- Beyond Blue – 1300 22 4636
- Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800. They also have this guide about dealing with tragic events.
