Roll up a sleeve for donor week

Alex Campbell does not mind giving up some of his time to roll up his sleeve and donate blood for a good cause.

Speaking during National Blood Donor Week, the Bunbury resident said donating blood at the Red Cross Bunbury Donor Centre had become a regular occurrence.

Mr Campbell has been donating since he was 18 years old and last week donated blood for the 276th time.

“I started donating in 1982, pretty much as soon as I turned 18 I went into the basement of the old Bunbury Regional Hospital and did it,” he said.

“There was a drive to donate at the time and there were advertisements on the radio talking about the importance of doing it.”

Mr Campbell said when he started donating blood, the only option was to donate whole blood every three months but now he could donate plasma every two or three weeks.

“I’ve been going into the donor centre every two weeks for the last seven years, even when I moved to Perth and then back here I continued donating,” he said.

“The guys at the donor centre have become like a family that I see every two weeks.”

Mr Campbell said he donated because he knew he was doing a good thing and he knew some other people could not donate.

“It’s a positive feeling, I think it’s good karma,” he said.

“It’s not a huge commitment to come in for an hour and a half, you’re able to relax.

“If anyone can donate blood, I’d encourage them because they are doing a great thing that can have a positive effect.”