For a decade, Armstrong Creek father-of-three Jarrod Reynolds has given blood to help save lives.
But months before COVID-19 hit he took his donations to the next level becoming a fortnightly visitor to Geelong’s Red Cross centre.
“You’d like to think that if you were in a situation where you needed blood, that someone would be doing it for you as well,” he said.
Initially, the 39-year-old council employee started by donating whole blood, which can be done every 12 weeks.
More recently he began donating plasma and last January he began donating matched platelets, both of which can be donated fortnightly.
“It’s a pain-free experience,” he said.
Talking to his sister Steph Reynolds, a Red Cross spokesperson, about where his donation went had also motivated him.
“If [somebody has] a sick kid or something like that, it’s something I can do to help,” he said.
Steph said Geelong’s Red Cross centre needed 220 locals to donate blood or plasma next week, with many regular donors taking “a well-earned break” over the Australia Day period.
“The need for blood never stops. This Australia Day there will be people in hospital needing blood for cancer treatment, trauma, surgery, bleeding disorders and obstetrics.
“There is nothing more Australian than helping out a mate, and if you’re able to help save the life of a complete stranger, that makes you a bloody legend.”
One in three Australians need blood or blood products in their lifetime, but only one in 30 donate them, according to Red Cross.
To book visit lifeblood.com.au or phone 13 14 95.
