AVID Swan volunteer and blood donor Kerry Katich celebrated her 400th donation at Lifeblood Midland last Wednesday, in the midst of national volunteer week.

Mrs Katich started her donor journey in 1996 after she heard about a young Midland man who suffered from leukaemia and was in need of bone marrow.

“Where I can help, where there’s a need, then I want to help,” she said.

Mrs Katich said she was proud of the media effort to encourage blood donations.

“Every night on the news I see that program where the blood donation levels come up.

“Also, I think the advertising that’s done now is really fantastic.”

However, Mrs Katich said there was always a need for donations, so she encouraged others to get on board if they were able to.

She said people should check with their local centres if they were eligible to donate blood because they could clear up misconceptions about donating.

“I had a cancer scare in 2001 and the oncologist told me that I’d never be able to donate blood, but Red Cross rang me to ask why I wasn’t continuing.

“When I told them they said, ‘no, no, please don’t give up but do go on the tamoxifen’.

“I went on for five years and as soon as I was finished, I just went back down to the (centre).”

Despite having worn many hats throughout her life, whether it was a primary school music teacher or a telex operator, Mrs Katich said she always made an effort to help the community.

“Even when I lived in Canberra and worked at foreign affairs, I volunteered to play the organ at the cathedral there,” she said.

“Then when I got a posting to the Australian embassy in Bangkok and I worked up there as a telex machine operator, I played the organ at the Holy Redeemer Cathedral in Bangkok.

“So everywhere, I’ve gone and I’ve volunteered to do things.”

Being involved in the community was something Mrs Katich enjoyed.

“I’m one of those people that like to be active and I haven’t given up on being involved – music wise or whether it’s a nursing home where I can also go to help the oldies, and I still play the organ at two churches and run a choir.”