Community & Business
20 June, 2024
100 donations!
Gilgandra local Chris Horan has recently reached the incredible milestone of donating blood and plasma 100 times.
According to Australian Red Cross, there are over 500,000 active blood donors in Australia. Each blood donation can save three lives, and the demand for donations grows each year.
Chris Horan has been donating life-saving blood for 43 years. She first gave blood as an employee of the then-’State Bank’, when several coworkers went to donate together.
“It was a competition between [local] banks,” said Chris. “[A friendly] way to see which could get more blood donated.”
She began earnestly donating blood after having children, traveling to the Dubbo Blood Bank with the hospital bus on Mondays after work. The bus was an initiative organised by members of the Gilgandra community. “It would be great if someone would start organising this again for our community.”
For a time, Chris also worked for the Gilgandra Shire Council. Now retired, she has continued to give blood. Chris completed her hundredth donation on Thursday, May 23 at the Lifeblood Dubbo Donor Centre.
“Little did I know when I started giving blood that my own daughter would need so many blood transfusions to keep her alive,” began Chris. “Ally sadly passed away on February 17, 2024 from complications caused by myelofibrosis. We love Ally and miss her so much.”
There are many people across Australia who need consistent blood transfusions to keep them alive and give them quality of life. From cancer patients to those suffering from unique medical conditions, the national demand for blood only grows each year. Donors like Chris save thousands of lives every year.
“I encourage everyone who physically can to call the blood bank, see if you are eligible and make an appointment,” said Chris. “It will only take one hour of your day to save up to three lives. You never know when someone you know, or love may need blood.”
