Work Experience

Year 10 student Gypsy McDonnell has recently completed a week of work experience at the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Wagga Wagga Donor Centre.

Gypsy has been inspired to promote this service to the Mater Dei Catholic Community as we have a Lifeblood Team listed at the Wagga Donor Centre. Below is Gypsy’s request for donations from Mater Dei:

On behalf of the Wagga Wagga blood bank, I encourage the Mater Dei community, over the age of 18, to participate in donating blood or plasma. Every donation you make counts towards the Mater Dei team's tally, as well as saving lives. It can take a minimum of only 8 minutes depending on what you choose to donate. The Mater Dei education community has already done so much with 21 active regular donors, if we continue on we can help so many people, one blood cell at a time.  

Donating either plasma or blood has contributed to the Mater Dei community in more ways than you could imagine. A former school captain of ours, Elizabeth Shaw, was diagnosed with a rare bone marrow failure syndrome (aplastic anaemia) with treatment just starting 7 months after giving birth to her baby boy, Max. The continued amounts of both blood and plasma transfusions were needed to keep her alive, before finding her a suitable bone marrow donor. These people who donated saved her life, and this isn't just the case for Elizabeth, but for many people who are suffering from life threatening illnesses.

Just last year, 9 year old Wagga Wagga student Matilda (known as Toots) Howard, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma, an aggressive cancer of the soft tissue, connect tissue or bone. Her family travels to Sydney for Matilda’s treatment at Westmead Children’s Hospital, and continues to receive many lifesaving blood and plasma donations. To continue these donations not only impact this young girl's health, but also the family, and community she is a part of.

Mrs Howard states; 

“The first time Matilda received blood products we knew that we needed to enhance the awareness of how important it is that we all donate. We have seen first-hand the positive effects it can have on lives."

Our wider Mater Dei community can help be the ones that make this difference, all that needs to happen is to donate today. When visiting the local lifeblood bank, sign up towards the Mater Dei team and it will impact countless lives. Together we can all make a difference.

Gypsy McDonnell