• International Thalassaemia Day – bringing our community together
• International Nurses Day – recognising those at the heart of care
• 2026 Nurse of the Year Awards – honouring outstanding dedication
Know a nurse who made a difference?
Nominate them and share their story: www.thalnsw.org.au
On Friday, February 7, 2025, Hurstville witnessed the official opening of its state-of-the-art Donor Centre at 252 Forest Road, a development set to enhance blood and plasma donations by an estimated 16,000 each year. In a proud moment for our community, Vice President Martha Gerolemou delivered an inspiring address on behalf of a recipient, sharing her personal journey and passion for life-saving blood donations.
The event was marked by the presence of distinguished guests, including The Hon. Ryan Park MP, who not only participated in the ceremony but also personally offered Martha the opportunity to cut the ribbon. Alongside key community figures like Councillor Natalie Mort and Executive Director Cath Stone (MC), the launch celebrated Hurstville’s rich cultural diversity and its commitment to saving lives.
The event captured the essence of Hurstville with its theme, “What’s Hurstville known for? The dragons, cultural diversity, amazing food and blood donation.” A warm Welcome to Country by John Lam, an Elder of the Bidjigal people of the Eora Nation, set a respectful and inclusive tone for the day.
Conveniently located with Hurstville Station right opposite and ample parking available at Westfield, the new centre is designed to serve the community better. With nearly 700 donation appointments available each week, it is expected to increase blood and plasma donations by about 16,000 per year, an effort that could save an estimated 48,000 lives annually.
Notably, the centre also pioneers initiatives to overcome donation barriers among underrepresented groups, particularly addressing the low participation of Chinese donors in Australia. By employing bilingual staff and culturally sensitive communication, this facility aims to create a donor base that truly reflects the diverse fabric of the community.
The Thalassaemia Society of NSW is proud to support this transformative initiative, which promises to make a significant impact on community health and lifesaving care. For more information or to book a donation appointment, please visit Lifeblood’s website or call 13 14 95.
Join us on the 27th of July at Kingsgrove Bunnings Warehouse for a fun-filled Sausage Sizzle BBQ Fundraiser! Enjoy delicious sausages, refreshing drinks, and great company while supporting the Thalassaemia and Sickle Cell Society of NSW. If you can’t attend, don’t forget that you can still contribute by donating to help cover the costs and maximize our fundraising efforts.
Support Thalassaemia & Sickle Cell Society of NSW, and make a lifesaving difference!
To ensure your donation is counted towards your state tally, please select your state division of the team, Thalassaemia & Sickle Cell Australia NSW. For more information, click on the link below:
2024 Nurse of the Year🌟🏥🩸
We are back again to celebrate the exceptional dedication and care provided by nurses as we approach
World Thalassaemia Day on the 8th of May and International Nurses Day on the 12th of May.
We invite you to nominate a nurse from your treatment centre who has made a difference in your life.
Let’s honour and appreciate these remarkable individuals who play a vital role in the well-being of our patients and their families. How to Nominate: Nominate a nurse from your treatment centre to express your gratitude for their hard work. Share with us, in 500 words or less, why you believe this nurse deserves recognition as our 2024 Nurse of the Year. Selection Process: A panel of consumers will judge the nominations, and the winner will be announced on World Thalassaemia Day – May 8. Submission Details: Fill out and submit the form online,
Nurse of the Year Nomination Form
Or;
Download and send your completed nomination form (PDF below) to Coordinator@thalnsw.org.au or PO Box M120, Camperdown NSW 2050.
Nominations close at 5 pm on 6 May 2024
Who can nominate a nurse?
Nominations will be accepted from thalassaemia, sickle cell and haemoglobinopathy patients, their carers and family members. We will also accept nominations from staff members who work with haemoglobinopathy nurses, however they cannot nominate themselves.
Will my nomination be confidential?
If you wish to keep your name and any personal details confidential, please tick our confidentiality box on the nomination form.
Can I nominate more than one nurse?
Of course! Share the recognition and fill out an individual nomination for each nurse. Unfortunately, we are unable to take nominations for ‘teams’ at this team.
Who is eligible?
Nominees must be a qualified individual currently employed as an enrolled or registered nurse in Australia, who works within haemoglobinopathy treatment.
I have a question or I need further informationPlease contact our President, George Houssos – president@thalnsw.org.au
Over 8,600 needle sticks, 700 blood transfusions, and 2,200 blood packs later and Arthur Bozikas OAM is defying the odds of being born with thalassaemia major in the 1960s. “Hope, survival, and prospering against the odds” is a strong theme in his new autobiography Iron Boy: Surviving Beta Thalassaemia Major.
Arthur is second-generation Greek Australian. His Lafka- born mother and Patra-born father emigrated in 1957 and 1956, respectively, and married around a year into living in Sydney.
By the age of one, Arthur was diagnosed with beta Thalassaemia major and by the age of four he had his spleen removed. By 20 years of age he was “getting ready for his life to be over”. Little did he know a new life-saving drug was about to become available, “I didn’t get Desferrioxamine until I was 21 years old, which was in 1981, 1982,” Bozikas says.
By this point, Arthur had unexpectedly outgrown the treatment ward at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Camperdown, “I was going to the Children’s Hospital because [me and my friends Peter and George] were the first in our generation to live at that particular age and to really have normal lives because we were using Desferrioxamine,” he says. “I started using Desferrioxamine with an infusion pump and I had no commitment about compliance because I started this late. It wasn’t until death was imminent at the age of 30, my commitment about compliance resulted to 100%”.
Arthur was married with two kids by the time he made the courageous move from Sydney Children’s Hospital, Camperdown to Royal Prince Alfred Hospital.
He says while Desferrioxamine led him to a healthier life, it was a hospital appointment which really changed his outlook on life. “I was horrified because they said to me, ‘Look, the damage is done… We’re going to put you on this drug anyway’,” he says. “I keep on recalling the fact that they said that ‘the damage is done… Why should I bother putting myself in any more pain and discomfort when I’m going to pass away anyway?.. Why continue?”
Twenty years later, this appointment would continue to leave a lasting impact on him until his wife – who he describes as the “light in his darkness” – would put his life into perspective and inspire him to enrol at Western Sydney University (UWS).
Arthur went on to study a number of courses including a Master of Management.
“It wasn’t until that day I went to uni that I put those heavy bags down that I had carried all my life … and just put all that behind me,” he says.
Arthur went from UWS alumni to tutor and spent seven years teaching there and eight years teaching at TAFE. In 2016, he was awarded an Order of Australia for his years and dedication as CEO of disability service organisation, Self Advocacy Sydney. He is also a long standing member of the Thalassaemia & Sickle Cell Society of NSW.
Arthur has been interested in writing Iron Boy for over 20 years. “When I was at uni, I did some creative writing courses so I could write my autobiography back then.” He has since published two fiction works, The Book Glasses and Black Ops: Zulu (Tom Stiles Thrillers Book 1) and we are eagerly awaiting the launch of his autobiography, Iron Boy, set to hit the shelves shortly.
There has been a lot of talk about Pfizer vs Astra when it comes to vaccines. Based on medical advice given to many of our patients, our current stance is we are advocating that those patients with Thalassaemia, Sickle-Cell Anaemia and other haemoglobinopathies be prioritised to receive the Pfizer vaccine if they want it.
Despite falling into the 1B category, many of our patients are still unable to access the Pfizer vaccine. We continue to encourage people to talk to their clinicians about their personal situation, however, we don’t want anyone in our Thal Soc community who would like the vaccine, to miss out due to shortages.
So, we are asking the following questions –
Would you like to have the vaccine?
Do you have any concerns?
What support would you like to see from us around this issue?
Please email – Coordinator@thalnsw.org.au
We would very much like to hear your thoughts on this and what is currently important to you with regards to Covid19.
Tanya our Counsellor has been busy creating and uploading content to help us all realize our full potential. With short info clips on mental health topics such as decision making and supporting our children during isolation, you can find some basic ideas to help you thrive.
Arthur went from UWS alumni to tutor and spent seven years teaching there and eight years teaching at TAFE. In 2016, he was awarded an Order of Australia for his years and dedication as CEO of disability service organisation, Self Advocacy Sydney. He is also a long standing member of the Thalassaemia & Sickle Cell Society of NSW.