An Aussie dad on a life-saving mission has made a stop in Logan to assist a five-year-old.
Simmo Braun from the Central Coast in NSW stopped by Springwood this month on his undertaking to visit every blood donation centre in Australia.
He has called his endeavour “The Bloody Good Tour.”
By the end of this adventure, he hopes to have saved thousands of lives.
But Mr Braun said he was also hoping to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood and plasma.
“Over a period of 12 months my kids and I will be caravaning across the country to visit every town with a blood donor centre and I and my crew will donate plasma fortnightly,” he said.
“While I haven’t experienced the need for blood myself, last year I faced some deep personal challenges, and I found regular blood donation positively impacted my mental health.
“I’ve experienced tough times, just like everyone else, and as a blood donor the lifesaving part of my identity lifts my spirits.”
He said blood donors saved lives.
“And those people have families, friends, teammates, colleagues, clients, whose lives are also better as a result, that is a pretty special feeling,” he said.
While at the Springwood donor centre, Mr Braun met with local five-year-old Addison and her mum Bianca Kemp.
Addison was diagnosed with a severe case of Aplastic Anaemia, with less than 5 per cent bone marrow in her body.
As a result, she was not creating blood cells, white cells, platelets or neutrophils, and for the next two years will need frequent blood, platelet, and plasma transfusions while recovering from a bone marrow transplant.
“Every transfusion is the gift of life back to Addison” Ms Kemp said.
A spokesperson from Lifeblood, Wes Thomas, encouraged more people to chip in.
“With blood demand at a 10 year-high and plasma demand the highest it’s ever been, we’re calling on locals across the state to show their support by donating blood and registering for the Bloody Good Tour donation team,” he said.
“Our donor centres are happy places filled with ordinary people doing extraordinary things, and we think many people out there could benefit from being a part of this community.”
To register to donate, visit lifeblood.com.au or call 13 14 95.
