Tammy’s why: A personal story behind the Lifeblood mission
Tammy Oliver gives blood at Gladstone’s donor centre – one of eight donations she’s made so far.
For Richglen Recruitment Advisor Tammy Oliver, giving blood isn’t just a good deed, it’s personal. Inspired by the memory of her late father and his battle with blood cancer, Tammy has become a regular donor, quietly making a lifesaving difference with every visit to the Gladstone donor centre.
“My late dad had been dealing with leukemia and Non-Hodgkin lymphoma for quite a few years,” Tammy said. “Knowing he needed blood along the way was what really made me start giving. I know my dad didn’t directly receive my blood, but knowing others were out there helping him gave me a reason to give back.”
Tammy’s father suffered from Richter’s Transformation, a rare and aggressive complication of Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL), which made regular blood and plasma transfusions essential to managing his symptoms.
“I know my dad didn’t receive my blood, but knowing others helped him gave me a reason to give back.”
“When you’re living with a blood cancer like leukemia, you find yourself feeling fatigued, short of breath or just plain bad,” Tammy said. “The culprit is low blood cell counts, which can be caused by the cancer itself or the treatment. Blood and plasma transfusions help bring those counts back up and can make you feel so much better.”
Tammy with her late father, Fred Dahtler, whose experience with leukemia inspired her to become a blood donor.
Proud to work for a company that gives back
When Richglen announced the launch of its Lifeblood Team, a new partnership with the Australian Red Cross Lifeblood service, Tammy was thrilled.
“It was awesome to know the company has a vested interest in helping people,” she said. “We already do so much for the community through things like our CQ Rescue and CapRescue donations. It’s just another thing that makes me proud to work for Richglen, knowing we’re doing what we can to help others.”
Tammy is one of a small group of people with O-negative blood, the universal donor type that can be given to anyone in an emergency.
“They call us unicorns,” she laughed. “O-negative is a wanted blood type, and people with it can only receive that same type. It’s a wanted item. Knowing my blood can help anyone, that’s really rewarding.”
Eight donations and counting
Tammy has donated eight times so far – six whole blood donations and two plasma donations – all at the Gladstone collection centre. She aims to donate every three months when possible and encourages others to consider it too.
“It’s not for everyone. If you don’t like needles, it’s probably not for you. But honestly, you won’t know until you try,” she said. “Giving blood doesn’t take long. Plasma takes a little longer, but both are really manageable.”
She didn’t start donating until a few years ago, but now she’s committed, not just because of what it meant for her dad, but because of what it means for others in need.