A Melbourne man has become Australia’s most active blood donor after making his 877th donation.
Paul Jenkins from Melton in Melbourne’s west has made the pilgrimage to the Airport West Lifeblood centre to donate blood every fortnight for the last 53 years.
“It costs you nothing to be a donor other than sacrifice of time to get to blood centres,” Jenkins said.
It is estimated that Jenkins’ donations have helped to save more than 2500 lives.
He first donated blood in 1971 when a mobile unit visited the ammunition factory where he worked.
Since then he has donated as much as he is physically allowed to, even coming back from a holiday early to get another donation in.
Donation numbers typically drop off during the winter months but the need for blood and plasma does not.
Around 33,000 donations are needed every week to meet patient demand.
“Only three per cent of the eligible population donate blood,” Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said.
“You don’t need to make 877 donations, a couple will do,” she said.