Trevor Bergman, a 59-year-old police officer from Melbourne, has an arm that’s been around the country, literally. He just completed donations at all 85 Australian blood donation centers, bringing his total to 545 donations of his ultra-rare anti-D blood. The whole mission began on holiday in Perth, when he saw a blood bank and figured it was a great way to see Australia.
The reason his blood matters so much? Trevor is one of only about 150 Australians known to carry the anti-D antibody, which is given to pregnant mothers whose newborns are at risk of hemolytic disease. His final donation happened in Canberra alongside Governor-General Sam Mostyn, and he even got turned away once in Albany because he had a sniffle.
With one in three Australians needing donated blood at some point, Trevor’s story is a friendly nudge for all of us to roll up a sleeve. Would you ever turn a road trip into a donation tour? Drop us a comment and let us know.
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Local Lawton
Local Lawton is a contributor to LocalBeat, covering local news and community stories.