Donate Blood
Blood donations are literally life-saving for many people with blood cancers such as leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma.
One average patient needs 18 people to donate blood each month. The average treatment time for leukaemia, lymphoma and myeloma is eight months, but it can last for years.
So, a great way to support a loved one and others living with blood cancers is to donate blood.
To donate or learn more, visit the Australian Red Cross Blood Service website www.donateblood.com.au or call 13 14 95
Join the Bone Marrow Registry
A bone marrow transplant can sometimes be the only treatment option for people with aggressive blood cancer.
One in three people find a matched bone marrow donor within their family. Two thirds rely on the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR) or other international registries to find a suitable match.
Because your bone marrow tissue type is directly related to your ethnic origin, Australia needs more people who reflect many different communities to register and help match more patients.
To register, simply make an appointment to give blood and ask for an ABMDR consent form when you donate. You need to be between 18 and 45 years of age at the time of registration and in good health.
To learn more, contact the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry on 13 14 95 or visit www.abmdr.org.au
Vaccinate
Many people living with blood cancer are immunocompromised, which means their ability to fight infection is weakened. Immunisation protects the community from some diseases, known as vaccine-preventable diseases, and stops the spread of infection that can put people living with blood cancer at high risk.
