True Colours 2023: Science Week

National Science Week

We’re celebrating National Science Week with a brand new, fun, and striking bandage.
From medical breakthroughs to ground-breaking research, we’ve been at the forefront of innovation for decades.

And none of it is possible without donors.

Our achievements go beyond blood donation. Beyond the snacks in a donor centre. Beyond the lives we’ve changed together.

illustration of a person riding a bicycle, within the wheels are illustrations of microbiota
Microbiome

We’re helping clinical trials by providing donated poo (yes poo). Just another contribution to Australia’s health.

Learn more
illustration of a mother holding a baby in her arms and a scientist wearing a white lab coat standing beside them
Milk

Thousands of babies are born early every year. And we’re here to help Australia’s smallest patients with donated breast milk.

Read more
illustration of a robotic arm holding a test tube
Medical breakthroughs

There was no cure to haemolytic disease of the newborn. Until we found it. Thanks to donors, it’s saved millions of lives.

Read more

Not all donated blood cells are directly transfused to patients

You could be helping in more ways than you could imagine.

illustration of a person leaning on a large bottle with a symbol of a capsule on it
Plasma can be turned into medicines, like a treatment for immune diseases. The possibilities are endless.
illustration of a red blood droplet icon with a question mark symbol over it
Some red cells help check and match a patient’s blood type in hospital.
illustration of a person wearing a white lab coat standing in front of two test tubes
Certain samples are vital for research projects, like new cancer treatments.

photo of artist Geoff Nees wearing the bandage he designed, on the right is a detail of the design with orange, yellow and pink geometric shapes

“Rather than try to visually represent the intricate and interconnected world of microbiota, I wanted to instead try and represent what a healthy gut flora might look like, with vibrant colours and shapes.” Geoff Nees

Geoff Nees is an artist and curator based in Melbourne. His work explores art, design, music, and architecture, but he’d always wanted to collaborate on a medical project.

So, we invited him to learn all about faecal microbiota for transplant (FMT). He met with one of our very own experts and was quickly blown away.

“I was honestly quite amazed to learn about this ground-breaking treatment. I had to send links to friends and family to assure them it was quite real!”

“I was quite amazed at the immense influence that microbiota have on human health and well-being.” Geoff said. Armed with new knowledge, he created an interpretation of microbiota.

Book a donation

Big Bloody Experiment

National Science Week

Sure, blood donation itself is exclusively for the over-18s — but a fascination with blood isn’t.

In fact, we’d say kids are more fascinated with blood, scabs, bruises and wounds than even our scientists are (and that’s saying a lot).

So, together with Experimentary, we’ve put together a Big Bloody Experiment to celebrate National Science Week in schools.

Find out more

illustrations of a cartoon test tube and blood drop with smiley faces

photo of Geoff Nees bandage design and bandana, it's a pattern with orange, yellow and pink geometric shapes

Post a pic to win

Want to liven up your walls with a little colour? Go in the running to win a limited-edition signed print by Geoff Nees, plus a bandana in the same beautiful design.

To go in the running to win:

  • Post a photo to your Instagram account showing off your post-donation artist bandage
  • The photo shouldn’t show needles or blood (they can make people a bit squeamish!)
  • Tag our official Instagram account @lifebloodau in the image and use the hashtag #lifebloodau
  • You must be following @lifebloodau to enter
  • One winner will be selected and will be sent a limited-edition signed print — we’ll notify you via private message on Instagram and share your pic to our account
  • Competition closes Sunday 10 September 2023
  • T&Cs can be found here

Take a look back at our previous campaigns