Maitland Saints AFC donates blood to boost supply in wake of bus crash tragedy

Six people directly involved with Singleton Roosters Australian Football Club were among the deceased, including women's coach and former club president Nadene McBride, her daughter and captain Kyah, Tori Cowburn, club stalwart Andrew Scott and wife Lynan, and fellow men's player Kane Symons.

The Roosters were drawn to host the Saints on Saturday night before the weekend's games were called off as a mark of respect.

Maitland Saints chairman Duane Roy said the club's players, supporters and volunteers are taking part, and he hopes 50 people from the Saints' community will get behind the initiative.

"In such a tragic and horrible situation. A lot of people want to help, but there's a sense of hopelessness and not being able to really do anything," he said.

"When we realised that donating blood was something we could do, we jumped on it as a club straight away."

Australian Red Cross Lifeblood Manufacturing and Logistics executive director Sam Brown told ACM it can take up to 100 blood donations to treat just one accident victim in an emergency situation.

Lifeblood received a life-threatening order from John Hunter Hospital blood bank at 1am, the Monday morning of the crash (June 12).

Within 40 minutes Lifeblood dispatched 20 shippers with 150 units of red cells, plasma and platelets.

A courier was organised and the blood arrived at the hospital within a few hours.

"In particular we supplied lots of type O blood because it can be used in emergencies when blood type is unknown," Mr Brown said.

"We heard that the crews on the ground arranged for some of that extra blood to be brought from the hospital to administer at the scene."

Saints players and volunteers donated blood on Tuesday night, with more heading into Maitland Donor Centre over the next few days.

"Other than sending our deepest sympathies to friends, family and the AFL community in Singleton, at this stage I'm not sure there's anything else we can really do," Mr Roy said.

"Being so closely tied to a community that's reasonably small here in the Hunter, the AFL community, you so desperately want to help and that's the only way we could see at this stage to be able to do that."

Saints women's player Sophie Forge has been a driving force behind the club's blood donation campaign.

Lifeblood is encouraging people of O blood type to donate as soon as they can.

"Two weeks ago our stocks of O negative were at their lowest point in three years," Mr Brown said.

"We've had enormous response from the community, but we do need donors every day.

"The average blood donation travels around 300km, so anyone around the state may have been responsible for assisting these patients."

NSW residents, especially those with O type blood are urged to donate blood to boost the state's supply. Visit www.lifeblood.com.au to make an appointment.

Maitland Donor Centre is open until 6.30pm Monday to Thursday, and is open six days a week.

Newcastle Donor Centre is open until 7pm Monday to Friday, and is open seven days a week.

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