My son, Isaac, was diagnosed with leukaemia a month after his second birthday. After his diagnosis, my husband and I spent the first two months at Starship Hospital.

Being at the hospital for a long period of time opens your eyes to the need for blood donors, as did meeting other children with different types of leukaemia and blood cancers who needed numerous transfusions.

Isaac needed four transfusions in his first four weeks of treatment.

That’s the tip of the iceberg of what we’re dealing with. The need is huge and it’s unpredictable when you’ll need it. People often don’t think to give blood until they have that immediate need, but someone needs to help keep those supplies ready so when you do need it it’s there.

You literally never know when it’s going to be a matter of life or death for you and someone you love. Giving blood is something any ordinary person, like me, can do to give extraordinary hope to others, like our son.