ROLLING up their sleeves to save lives is giving Charles Sturt University pharmacy students a shot at a much-sought-after honour.
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Members of the Wagga CSU Pharmers’ Society are banding together to support the Australian Red Cross Blood Service and chase a victory in a nationwide Vampire Cup competition.
The society is up against 15 pharmacy clubs from around Australia, which comprise the National Australian Pharmacy Students’ Association (NAPSA), in the race for the Vampire Cup.
CSU Pharmers’ Society representative Jess Cole said the club is aiming to get 100 donations during the course of the competition, and take the top prize off reigning cup champions The Tasmanian Association of Pharmacy Students.
“At the moment we are in second place behind Townsville, which is surprising because usually TAPS – Tasmania – win it... they won it last year,” she said.
“This year we are aiming to get 100 donations.
“We have the blood bus coming out to visit all day on October 1 so residential students can donate and we are also car pooling and advertising the cup around uni to get more people to go down and donate.”
Members of the public can also support the society’s bid for victory by donating whole blood or plasma on the group’s behalf.
“Anyone can help us out,” Jess said.
“All they need to do is say they would like to donate on behalf of the CSU Pharmers’ Society and they will be counted in our tally.”
A win in the Vampire Cup will be extra sweet for the CSU Pharmers’ Society, which has already enjoyed victory in the NAPSA Charity Cup.
“The Charity Cup was used to raise money for the Day of Difference Foundation and we actually raised the most so we won which was exciting,” Jess said. “We would like to win the Vampire Cup so we can be the most generous society.”
The blood challenge runs until Sunday 7 October.
Blood is vital to life and for many people blood donors are their lifeline.
Currently only one in 30 Australians give blood, but one in three people will need blood in their lifetime.
To make a donation visit www.donateblood.com.au or phone 13 14 95.