Australia's Red Cross Blood Service needs almost 3000 donations in the next few days.
The organisation says it wants to ensure it can collect enough platelets, a blood component used in conjunction with some cancer treatments.
Spokesman Shaun Inguanzo says expectant mothers and road trauma victims are among the recipients of donated blood, as are people with blood disorders, and those in need of emergency surgery and transfusions.
But he told Georgina Moore most of it will be used to help cancer patients.
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