This week is National Blood Donor Week. The goal is to raise awareness of the need to find 100,000 new blood donors per year, as the community's need for blood and blood plasma products is at the highest level in 12 years.

The statistics are a stark reminder for the eligible 57% of the population to make the effort and donate blood or blood plasma. Only 3% of the population donate, while 1-in-3 people will need a donated blood product in their life. The demand is for 1.7 million donations each year and growing.

Corndale resident and father of two, Kieran Middleton, knows only too well the benefits of receiving blood and blood plasma products.

In 2021, Kieran was diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy (CDIP), the same condition that affects former Australian swimmer Michael Klim.

(Kieran Middleton giving a talk to Lifeblood donors today)

CDIP is an autoimmune disorder that causes gradual damage to the myelin sheath, the protective covering around nerves. This damage can lead to weakness, numbness, and other sensory changes in the arms and legs.

Basically, over a period of time, Kieran couldn't walk, lost part of his sight, couldn't hold a knife and fork or unlock a door. Life as Kieran and his family knew it changed drastically over a period of time.

"I was a builder, and had my own business," Kieran explained, "And then all gone. I had to give it up."

"We had to get around on a wheelie walker because of my severe foot drop," Kieran told the Lismore App today. "It was like, there's no control of my feet at all. Everything was dead. They would poke me with a blunt needle, and there's no feeling, all the nerves, everything was gone"

That was twelve months ago, but thanks to fortnightly infusions of immunoglobulin and plasma, Kieran is slowly on the mend as his independence returns.

"I've got all my downward movement in my feet with no up movement. That's the nerves repairing the calves, because they repair themselves an inch a month. So, to repair from the waist down, it's got to go all the way down and come all the way back.

"It's been three years from completely nothing to this, and now I'm driving again. I work from home, and do estimating for jobs thanks to a fabulous Sydney company, Buildcorp. I'd like to be able to do my own things again, because we live on 25 acres, and I've got to pay people to do all this stuff, where I used to do everything myself, even something as simple as mowing the lawn or cleaning the pool."

Kieran is moving from fortnightly infusions to every three weeks and then every four weeks. His recovery time is unknown, but could be as long as ten years.

During our discussion, Kieran expressed his concern as to why more people do not take the 60 minutes to donate whole blood or the 90 minutes to donate plasma. Everyone he speaks to thinks it is a great idea, but very few are motivated enough to take the next step and actually book into a donor centre to donate blood or plasma.

Instead, most of the heavy lifting is done by a few incredible human beings like Michael, Beryl, Ian and David (100+ donations), Sue and Steve (150+), Trish and Narelle (200+), Dan, Sharon and Kim (250+), Llewenna (400+) and Richard (500+). In fact, Richard was about to make his 512th donation today.

As Lifeblood's Helen Sager said, "You are the most amazing people that society has on offer, the cream of the crop, the crème de la crème, the elite."

(The amazing staff at the Lifeblood Lismore Donor Centre in Bounty Street, along with the incredible 100+ club donors)

The high donors club was also thanked by Kieran Middleton, "Your donations ensure that my condition won't get any worse. It gives me a greater quality of life. I can't thank you donors enough and express how much it means to me and my family. My treatment would not have been possible without you guys. Please give yourselves a pat on the back, because without you, heroes, I call it, to give me the donors, I wouldn't be where I am now. Thanks so much, and keep up the good work."

You can enquire about being a blood or plasma donor or book an appointment by clicking https://www.lifeblood.com.au/, by calling 13 14 95 or by popping into Level 1/26 Bounty Street, Lismore CBD.