Day Zero Project goal #1 - Donate blood

As you might have seen from a few of my past posts, I've been trying to spread the word that more people need to be registering on the bone marrow donor registry. It's so that people like my friend Emily have a greater chance of finding a blood match in order to have a stem cell or bone marrow transfer that could save their life.

A few weeks ago, my friend Ruth and I had planned to go donate blood after she saw that it was one of my goals for my Day Zero Project and she too had never donated blood. We had booked an appointment and everything, but then I developed a cold and so we had to cancel because in order to donate you have to be feeling 100% healthy during the 7 day period leading up to the donation. The cold lingered for a very long time, but in that time another of my friends wanted to go as well, and when I had finally gotten better, yet another of my friends told me that she wanted to put her name on the Australian Bone Marrow Donor Registry (ABMDR). The four of us booked our appointment for today. 

So this is the part where I reflect over how great timing can be sometimes. Only a few days ago, Emily told me that she was going to be interviewed by the popular Channel 7 morning news and entertainment show Sunrise. It was then that I told her I'd be going in to register and so Emily organised for the camera man to come and film us while we were donating. It was all such great timing! Not only will Sunrise help to spread the word about Emily, but viewers will also be able to see just how simple it is to register on the ABMDR. It's honestly as simple as filling out a form.

The actual donating blood part was also not as scary as it might seem. The nurses take very good care of you, making sure you're comfortable and relaxed. It was all very pain free for me, and afterwards you get free food! 

Not only did my three friends join the ABMDR, but the camera man did it too! It warms my heart seeing the kindness of people.

My friends and I have our fingers crossed that one of us will be a match for Emily, but even if we're not, what we did could still help someone else out there.

If you're interested in donating blood or joining the bone marrow donor registry call the Red Cross Blood Donation Services on 13 14 95 to make an appointment to donate blood, and they will give you the form you need to register on the ABMDR.