By Natasha Fujimoto
SIX years ago, on the day before his birthday, Liam Edwards’ life changed in an instant. On his way to visit his girlfriend, Liam’s car hit a pothole, causing a tyre to blow out. The vehicle veered off the road, crashed into a tree, and rolled over, briefly knocking him unconscious and crushing his hand.
When he came to, Liam could smell fuel and hear a sizzling sound. Despite his injuries, he managed to crawl out of a window and stumble approximately 50 metres toward a nearby farmhouse. There, two men saw him and immediately called triple zero.
“I was losing a lot of blood; I was just minutes away from the worst possible outcome,” Liam said.
Paramedics arrived just in time. On the side of the road, they administered a life-saving bag of donated blood to Liam before he was airlifted to hospital. He underwent emergency surgery and received several more blood transfusions. Though he tragically lost several fingers due to the severity of his injuries, Liam said he’s deeply grateful to everyone who played a role in saving his life.
Above all, Liam wants to thank the blood donors whose selfless actions made his survival possible, especially during National Blood Donor Week (June 9–16).
“The blood bag I received on the roadside saved my life. I wouldn’t be here without it, and it wasn’t just that one bag. During surgery, I needed multiple transfusions. It’s really inspired me to give back and to help others,” Liam said.
Every year, thousands of Australians require blood transfusions due to accidents, surgeries, cancer treatment and chronic illnesses. According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, one in three Australians will need blood in their lifetime, yet only around 500,000 people currently donate each year. To meet growing demand, Lifeblood requires more than 1.7 million donations annually.
This week, Lifeblood is calling on locals to consider donating and to recognise the incredible contribution of regular donors in the Shepparton region and across the country.
To raise awareness, Lifeblood has introduced a new branded bandage for donors initiated during National Blood Donor Week – highlighting the lifesaving impact each donation can have.
When asked what message he would give to those considering donating blood, Liam said:
“Just do it! It 100 per cent saved my life. There are people in far worse situations than I was—children, the elderly, and everyone in between. These donations are needed and used. I’ll absolutely be rolling up my sleeve to help others, just like others helped me.”
Appointments are still available at the Shepparton Donor Centre, with 130 spots open in the next two weeks. To book, call 13 14 95, visit lifeblood.com.au, or use the DonateBlood app.
