Lisa Gorman design must-have accessory, urges Aussies to help health workers save lives.

Much-loved Australian designer and artist Lisa Gorman has joined forces with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood to create a limited-edition bandage to encourage Aussies to support the nation’s healthcare workers, who rely on blood and plasma donations to save lives every day.

Gorman, who is a former nurse, said she is well aware of just how much health workers rely on donated blood and plasma to treat all kinds of medical conditions and emergencies and used blood “many, many times” herself to treat patients.

“Before my career in design, I worked as a nurse in the blood collection department of the kidney transplant unit at the Royal Melbourne Hospital,” Gorman said.

“Blood donors save lives, it's a very real fact. I've seen it firsthand, in the emergency department and in the operating theatre, litres and litres of blood products flowing into bodies to sustain life that otherwise would not be sustained,” she said.

Gorman said her experience as a nurse inspired her to create the bright and bold bandage design, which will be available to donors from April 8 until May 12.

The neon green tartan-print bandage was inspired by her debut art collection Fluorescence – a series of translucent acrylic sculptural works, which explore the elements of warp and weft in textile design, a fascination developed over decades of creating woven textiles.

“Many times I've witnessed the surprise outcome of colour combinations during textile design… and more recently, I've explored more around the effect of repetition in pattern making,” she said.

Not surprisingly, the bandage is awash with colour.

“I love colour. Always have. My favourite book is the Pantone book,” said Gorman, who was recently appointed creative director of well-known stationery brand kikki.K."

The launch of the limited-edition bandage coincides with the Lifeblood health services blood drive, which runs until the end of June. During a blood drive, Lifeblood Teams work together to make as many donations as possible in a set time.

Lifeblood Executive Director of Donor Experience Cath Stone said she hoped Gorman’s signature bold bandage design would encourage more people to come and donate as demand for blood by hospitals reaches the highest level in nearly a decade.

“We are incredibly grateful to Lisa for her stunning bandage design, and for highlighting just how much health workers rely on people to come in and donate blood and plasma so they can perform their job of saving lives,” Ms Stone said.

“Our health workers are saving lives every day and quite often they are relying on donated blood products to do just that. In fact, one blood donation is needed every 18 seconds in Australia, including for trauma and emergency patients, women in childbirth and people being treated for cancer,” she said.

Gorman said she hopes her eye-catching bandage design will also motivate more Australians to roll up their sleeves, as a new blood donor is needed every 4 minutes in Australia.

“That is what the bandage truly represents. It says ‘hey, now that I've caught your attention, why don't you think about going and giving blood too, because that will make you feel better than this snazzy bandage does,” she said.

“Blood product donation is a really extraordinary thing when you think about it - an incredible act of giving,” Gorman said.

The Lisa Gorman-designed bandages will be available at Lifeblood donor centres nationwide until May 12.

The Lifeblood health services challenge runs until the end of June.

By making an appointment to donate blood, you could help save up to three lives.

To book a donation, call 13 14 95, visit lifeblood.com.au, or download the free Donate Blood app.