WE all hear the calls to give blood, some of us even heed them, but few people truly understand the importance of each donation like Mulwaree High School year 11 student Cassie Keeley.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
When Cassie was just 14 she suffered from Chronic Myeloid Leukaemia and says blood donors saved her life.
While she was undergoing chemotherapy her body was not producing enough red blood cells so she underwent four whole blood transfusions, which allowed her body to cope.
Today, she is a happy healthy teen. She’s back at school, fighting fit and repaying a debt of gratitude.
Cassie was amongst 20 local students inducted into the Red Cross Blood Service Youth Ambassador Programme on Monday morning.
The pupils from Trinity Catholic College, Crookwell, Goulburn and Mulwaree High Schools learnt about blood donation and how to organise blood drives and encourage their peers to donate.
While she can’t actually donate, for medical reasons, Cassie said she would do everything in her power to help recruit at least some of the 28,500 new youth donors that would be needed this year.
“I acquired four full donations… I also know people who have it so much worse than me. I know one boy who gets transfusions monthly because he can’t produce red blood cells,” she said.
“I think it is a great thing and I will do everything in my power to get as many people as possible to donate.”
Year 11 Trinity Catholic College student Josh Quinlan was also inducted as a youth ambassador. His decision to become involved in the program was born of a will to help others.
“I just wanted to learn a bit more about it before I started donating,” he said.
“(Donating blood) helps other people. I am using it but if I can give some of it away and help people with cancer I want to. I just feel like, if you can help people, why not do it?”
Goulburn Blood Donor Centre Community Relations Officer Linus Nesbitt said all 20 of the student donors were an inspiring example to community members of all ages.
“These young donors are only 16 and 17 but their generosity and community spirit make a life-saving difference to blood recipients from all over the country,” she said.
“The Youth Ambassadors provide great support to the Blood Service throughout the year. The Schools Blood Challenge helps encourage and educate our youth about Australia’s need for blood and how as students, they can save lives.”
For more details on the Youth Ambassador Program or to sign up, call 13 14 95.
