Her whole blood and plasma donations have been used to assist many cancer patients, and in hospitals and children's wards.

The Bowral resident began donating whole blood and plasma when she went into a donation centre with a work colleague when she was 17.

Since then, she has donated 60 times, and is determined to keep it up.

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"Over the years, I am more committed to stick to the 12 week time frame," she said during National Blood Donor Week, which runs from June 13 to 19.

According to Australia Red Cross Lifeblood, people can donate blood every 12 weeks and plasma on a fortnightly basis.

Donations of blood, plasma and platelets are vital and used for cancer treatments, diseases, surgeries, disorders, infections, for pregnant people and newborns, traumas and accidents.

Over 1.7 million donations are needed annually across Australia, which works out to be three every minute.

Donations were limited throughout lockdowns and are slowly increasing.

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Data from Lifeblood revealed 17,500 donations were urgently needed at the end of May and in early June, due to the impact of the cold and flu season.

Only three per cent of Australians donate blood per year, despite one in three Australians needing blood or blood products throughout their life.

"I really feel for blood services who say they are absolutely desperate, saying please come in [to donate]," Ms Borbone said.

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In the last 12 months to June, 1190 people have from the 2571, 2575, 2576, 2577, 2578 and 2579 postcodes have donated whole blood, plasma and platelets.

They made a total of 2737 donations.

Ms Borbone said she found it more important after lockdown, and it has an "enormous" impact.

"It's not difficult, it doesn't hurt, it makes an impact on a day-to-day-basis," she said.

The pop-up mobile donor facility at the Bowral Swimming Centre will re-open on July 12 from 10am to 1.30pm, July 12 and 13 from 1pm to 6pm and July 14 to 15 from 10am to 3pm.

People can call 13 14 95 to schedule an appointment or go to donateblood.com.au to schedule an appointment.

You can also take the eligibility quiz at lifeblood.com.au/blood/eligibility/quiz if you are not sure if you can donate blood.

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