Every week Australia needs over 26,000 blood donations.

Blood is vital to life and, for many people, blood donors are their lifeline. Currently only one in 30 people give blood, but one in three people will need blood in their lifetime.

Student Paramedics Australasia (SPA) is supporting the Australian Red Cross Blood Service through Club Red, the group blood donation program. SPA is challenging its members to do their part and to see which group of paramedic students can save the most lives.

Participating student paramedic societies:

1. CSUSPA (Charles Sturt University)
2. Paraquinas (Australian Catholic University)
3. SPU (Queensland University of Technology)
4. SCUPA (Sunshine Coast University)
5. PARASOC (Monash University)
6. FUSPA (Flinders University)
7. VUSPA (Victoria University)

Modern processing techniques mean that a single blood donation, when separated into its components, can help at least three different patients and contribute to making up to 17 different products (including potentially life-saving immunisations for chicken pox, hepatitis B and tetanus).

Paramedics are frontline healthcare practitioners; with the possibility of encountering emergency situations with every working moment. As paramedic students we train extensively to be able to respond to these emergency situations and prepare to care for those in most need of healthcare so that we may one day save someone’s life. By joining Club Red paramedic students have an opportunity to save lives now! Get together with your fellow students and do something special by regularly donating blood.

Donating blood only takes around 10 minutes* and after 24-48 hours your blood volume will have completely replenished. What are you waiting for? Click here to register online now.

Once you have registered online at Club Red, every time you donate blood or plasma your donation is automatically added to your society’s tally. You can even check online to see how your society stacks up against other student paramedic societies across Australia.

Most people are eligible to give blood if they:

1. Are fit, healthy and not suffering from a cold, flu or other illness at the time of donation;
2. Are aged between 16-70 years (in QLD and WA 16-17 year olds require parental consent);
3. Weigh more than 45kg (16-17 year olds need to weigh more than 50kg);
4. Drink up in the 24 hours before donation, especially in warm weather, and have at least 4 good-sized glasses of water/juice in the 3 hours before donating (plasma and platelet donor need to drink at least 6 to 8 glasses);
5. Eat something in the 3 hours before donating, and;
6. Bring ID. Please bring at least one form of photo identification.

You can make an appointment by calling the Blood Service on 13 14 95 or visit donateblood.com.au/clubred to find out more information.

* Giving blood takes just 5-10 minutes but you should allow about an hour from arrival to departure, which includes time for your interview and refreshments.