Arthur Bozikas's earliest memories aren't from family holidays or parties but going to hospital for blood transfusions.
He has beta-thalassemia major, a rare genetic disorder that reduces the body's ability to produce enough healthy red blood cells.
He was told he wouldn't live to experience adulthood, so through his teenage years he was waiting to die.
But through medical discoveries, medication and monthly blood transfusions, he now relies on the goodwill of others to live.
"I've had over 700 blood transfusions. Over 6,600 injections and roughly over 2,200 packs of blood since birth and I'm 60 years old," Mr Bozikas said.
COVID cancellations continue
But as COVID-19 cases continue to rise across the country, the number of blood donations continues to drop, jeopardising the lives of people like Arthur Bozikas.
Right now, only half the people making appointments end up giving blood, and more than 4,500 appointments are not being filled every day.
The number of people cancelling or not showing up is at its highest since the pandemic began.
To try to tackle that, the Red Cross is changing the rules about how quickly you can resume donations if you've had COVID-19.
Until now, people who've had the virus had to wait until they were fully recovered plus another 28 days before giving blood.
But from Sunday, once you're better you'll just need to wait seven days before booking an appointment.
A 'safe decision'
Iain Gosbell, the director of donor and blood safety at Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, which is responsible for the collection and distribution of blood products, said it was a safe decision.
"Worldwide, there has been 330 million reported cases of COVID and zero instances of transmission through any sort of blood transfusion," Professor Gosbell said.
"When we had the original 28-day deferral that was when there wasn't as much scientific knowledge about the virus as what there is now."
Professor Gosbell says the change is now in line with their policies for other infections such as the flu or common cold, which require people to wait to ensure they're physically fit to donate.
Pleas for additional blood donations
Mr Bozikas has still been able to get his monthly transfusions throughout the pandemic.
But he's hoping more people will consider helping others.
"Car accidents are not going to stop, cancer is not going to stop, patients like myself are going to continue needing blood," Mr Bozikas said.
Last year the Red Cross collected 1.6 million donations.
It's hoping that despite the difficult start to this year, thousands of people won't forget the patients who'll still need their donations in the months to come.
