Blood is vital to life and, for many people, blood donors are their life-line. Currently, only 1 in 30 Australians give blood, but 1 in 3 Australians will need blood in their lifetime. Every type of blood is important. Because type O is the most common blood type it is also the most needed. Type O negative is particularly valuable because in certain emergency situations it can be used when the patient’s blood type is unknown. Modern processing techniques mean that a single blood donation, when separated into its components, can help at least 3 different patients and contribute to making up to 22 different products (including potentially life-saving immunisations for chicken pox, hepatitis B and tetanus).