Melbourne man gives blood at all 85 donation centres across Australia
While most people who give blood might visit a handful of donation centres in their life, Trevor Bergman has gone above and beyond by donating at every blood bank in the country.
A Melbourne man, Trevor Bergman, has achieved the remarkable feat of donating blood at all 85 blood donation centers across Australia. The 59-year-old police officer began donating blood at the age of 18, and the challenge initially came to him while on a holiday in Perth 10 years ago. Bergman explained that donating blood allowed him to visit various locations in Australia that he might not have otherwise, including the eastern coast, Western Australia, and even Darwin.
Lifeblood, the organization overseeing blood donations in Australia, is urging all Australians to make donating blood a regular habit.
Australian Red Cross Lifeblood's Aania Tandon highlighted the importance of one specific group of donors – those with the anti-D antibody. This antibody is crucial for protecting nearly 48,000 pregnant women each year from haemolytic disease of the newborn (HDN), a condition where a mother's immune system attacks her baby's blood due to differing blood types.
Bergman's dedication to this cause was evident in his final donation in Canberra, where he was joined by the governor-general, Sam Mostyn. Despite experiencing a minor setback when he was turned away due to illness in Albany, Western Australia, Bergman remained steadfast in his mission, recalling the importance of maintaining a secure blood supply.
Despite the increased demand for blood and plasma donations due to a prolonged cold and flu season, Tandon emphasized the need for Australians to make donating blood a daily routine, as the demand for blood never takes a break.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
