On Monday the blood bank visited Braidwood for the last time. Since 2006 the Mobile Blood Donor Centre has been visiting Braidwood, to take blood donations from the community.
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“We have to say a huge thanks for the donations we’ve had in those 11 years, it’s amazing” says Sally Gavin, Community Relations Officer with the Canberra Territory of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service.
A declining trend in donations meant the service could not meet its commitment to Canberra Hospital, forcing it to move on.
“Every time we send our donor mobile out, the blood service makes a commitment to the hospitals to say ‘Ok we’ll be collecting this many blood donations’” says Ms Gavin.
While there was a crew of dedicated donors in Braidwood, the service was just not receiving enough blood to meet their commitment.
“It has been a while coming. It’s been a declining trend, and unfortunately when we need to rely on collecting blood for the patients in hospital, this is the bottom line,” says Ms Gavin.
When Nick Fry, a long time supporter of the Mobile Blood Service, heard the news on Friday, he was devastated.
“I was pretty shattered,” said Mr Fry.
He is keen to note, however, the positive impact the Braidwood community has been able to make over the past 11 years.
“You’re looking at hundreds of donors, which turns into thousands of lives that Braidwood people have saved over the course of having it here,” says Mr Fry.
Ms Gavin thanked the Braidwood community for its support during the service’s time in Braidwood.
“We’ve been there 11 incredible years, and over those 11 years we’ve collected about 1500 donations, saving 4,500 Australia lives,” says Ms Gavin.
“People like Nick Fry and Steve Hockey, they’ve been driving it and the passion behind it.”
“The two of them, they kept it going as long as it did, with their passion.”
“We have to say a huge thanks for the donations we’ve had in those 11 years, it’s amazing.”