THE importance of donating blood is not lost on Roads and Maritime Services heavy vehicle inspector Eddy Maher.

In 2004 the Lismore man was the recipient of blood donations after a motorcross crash left him in a coma with a 20% chance of survival.

After recovering from the crash Mr Maher started donating blood and, as fate would have it, discovered he was O negative blood type - the type used to save lives in emergency situations.

With more than 332 lives lost on New South Wales roads this year, Mr Maher and his workmates are donating blood this month in support of the Australian Red Cross Blood Service's Christmas Blood Blitz.

Spokeswomen Amanda Sims said the national campaign aimed to fill appointments at donor centres between December 22 and January 4.

Lismore Donor Centre still needs to fill 150 appointments during that period.

"Thousands of Australian patients will need blood this Christmas and New Year just to have the hope of spending those moments with friends and family," she said.

"Cancer patients are the biggest users of donated blood and rely on platelets to make it through chemotherapy.

"The problem is platelets cannot be stockpiled, so we need a constant, fresh supply as anything collected by Christmas Day will have expired or run-out early next week."

Make an appointment at Lismore Donor Centre by calling 131495 or visiting www.donateblood.com.au