“When you’re saving lives, nothing else matters”: Metallica team up with Australian Red Cross to encourage blood donation Down Under

Metallica have rallied fans to give blood at a number of stops on their all-conquering M72 tour, with their All Within My Hands foundation partnering with American Red Cross for their recent trek across the US, and it’s now been announced that the metal icons will team up with Australian Red Cross Lifeblood for the Aussie leg of the tour next month.

The collaboration will see Aussie donors who visit a select number of CBD donor centres to donate in the week before each tour stop receive a limited-edition Metallica T-shirt designed by SQUINDO. The T-shirt is adorned with the Lux Æterna lyric “A Sea Of Hearts Beat As One”, as well as what is promised to be a “visual nod to Aussie Metallica fans.”

The gift will be available to donors who sign up, or have already signed up, to Lifeblood’s Lifeblood Gifts loyalty program and who donate at these centres between these dates: Perth Donor Centre (25th October to 31st October), Adelaide Donor Centre (29th October to 4th November), Melbourne CBD Donor Centre (1st November to 7th November, Brisbane Donor Centre (5th November to 11th November) and at the Town Hall or York Street Donor Centres in Sydney (8th November to 14th November).

Cath Stone, Red Cross Lifeblood’s Executive Director of Donor Experience, said the organisation was thrilled to be collaborating with Metallica and their All Within My Hands foundation. “Metallica and their foundation’s commitment to making every tour stop a better place, by rallying fans to donate blood and plasma, is a selfless act that will have a lifesaving impact on so many individuals and their families."

“With demand for blood at a 12-year-high and plasma demand at record levels, we hope this partnership will fuel an influx of Metallica fan donors that we can welcome home to our donor centres. Don’t let blood donation be the day that never comes, because when you’re saving lives, nothing else matters.”

Inked fans have also been advised that they can get involved too. “If you have tattoos you are likely to be eligible to donate,” read the press release. “You can donate plasma straight away after a tattoo, as long as it was done in a licensed tattoo parlour in Australia. And you’ll need to wait just one week to give blood or platelets."