Shire mum Nicole Mannix-Power knows more than anyone the importance of giving blood.
Nicole has the anti-body in her blood which has helped hundreds of mothers have healthy babies.
But it also meant that Nicole had trouble having children herself.
When a mother has a negative blood group and her baby a positive blood group, the mother’s body can turn against the baby and her blood cells destroy the baby’s blood cells cells, leading to severe anaemia, brain damage and death, called Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn.
This is prevented by a medication called Anti D which is made up from the blood of special donors like Nicole.
Nicole lost a baby to Haemolytic Disease of the Newborn in 1999 and now donates blood to ensure this does not happen to other women.
She now has two daughters, Chloe, 17, and Ruby, 10.
Chloe needed lifesaving blood transfusions while in the womb. She not only survived, she is now a Cronulla Crays Australia Gold Medalist.
Sutherland Shire needs more than 200 blood donations between Christmas and New Year in order to prevent a shortage of blood products vital to the treatment of leukaemia, surgery and trauma patients.
There is always a drop in regular donors between Christmas and New Year.
And this is when it is needed more than ever, particularly for emergency situations.
The part of blood used in emergency situations has a short shelf life of just a few days, meaning a constant supply is needed throughout the festive season for new mums, those going through
chemotherapy, and accident victims.
Red CrossBood Service spokeswoman Jemma Falkenmire said the Blood Service was calling on the community to make an appointment to donate between December 24 and January 2.
“Thousands of Australian patients will need blood this Christmas and New Year in order to spend precious moments with friends and family,” she said.
“With Australians set to spend $48.1 billion leading up to Christmas, the greatest gift of all will cost you just an hour of your time and could help to save or improve three lives,”
Miss Falkenmire said a blood donation was a gift that money couldn’t buy because it allowed people to spend time with those they love most.
Nicole Mannix-Power donates blood every two weeks throughout the year and plans to give blood between Christmas and New Year.
She encourages other people to do the same.
“If nobody donated blood I wouldn’t have my children and that’s why I’m returning the favour,” she said.
Make an appointment to give at the Shire Donor Centre by calling 13 14 95 or visiting
www.donateblood.com.au
