It Can't Hurt To Ask

Would you donate your organs to give someone a second chance at life? Organ donation is a complex process and in this episode, we learn about why only certain organs are a match for people in need and how blood types play a big role in matching organs to the perfect recipients.  

Dr Ross Francis walks us through the donation matching process, while Gary Torrens takes us through how kidney transplants are performed through the Queensland Kidney Transplant Service and shares his experience working in the National Indigenous Kidney Taskforce. Then, Queensland woman Amber Williamson tells her personal kidney transplant story, sharing how a living donation from her dad has changed her life.  

How long does a donated organ last? What are the impacts of organ donation for recipients? Which organs can you donate while still alive? Listen to find out! 

Services mentioned in this episode:

Did this episode inspire you to register as a potential organ donor? Learn more about organ donation in Australia and sign up as an organ donor at Donate Life. 

Check out Kidney Health Australia’s website for information about keeping your kidneys healthy.  

The Queensland Kidney Transplant Service (QKTS) is for people who may be suitable for a kidney transplant and provides ongoing care to people with a transplanted kidney. You can learn more about the service and find resources for transplant recipients on the QKTS webpage.  

Blood is a key player in your body’s immune response, carrying antibodies around your system to fight off infection and disease. In this episode, learn all about how antibodies work as part of the immune system from clinical immunologist Dr Peter Bourke. You’ll also hear from Cheryl, one of the many Queenslanders living with an autoimmune condition. She shares what it’s like when your immune system doesn’t behave the way it should.

How does your body learn about pathogens in order to fight them off? What are the steps in the immune response? What happens if your immune system gets it wrong and turns its efforts towards your healthy body? Listen to find out! 

Do you bruise like a peach or is it rare that a knock makes a mark on you? What should you do if you feel like you’re bruising easily and should you ever be worried if you don’t bruise at all? In this episode, Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali take us through how bruises happen, how to treat a bruise and what conditions can cause easy bruising.  

We also bust a few bruise myths. Is a hickey a bruise? Can you become anaemic from bruising too often? And why do bruises change colour over time?  Listen on to find out!

What happens when your life force seemingly turns against you? For the 53 Australians diagnosed with one of the 100 types of blood cancer every day, this question becomes reality.

In this episode, we take a deep dive into blood cancers, learning about different types of blood cancer, what causes them, the symptoms and treatments. Hear from Dr Joshua Richmond and Dr Aarya Murali as they explain the ins and outs of the disease and from Briony, who is in remission after being treated for advanced Hodgkin lymphoma.

Have you been diagnosed with a blood cancer, are supporting someone who has or would like more information? Visit the Leukaemia Foundation and Lymphoma Australia websites for more information about the topics discussed in this episode.  

Does alcohol make you turn red? How does a breathalyser work? How would you know if you’re drinking too much, and where can you get support? 

In this episode, we learn all about how alcohol effects the body from Dr Jeremy Hayllar. He demonstrates how a breathalyser works, explains how alcohol affects your brain and memory and offers tips for people wanting to rethink how they drink. As the clinical director of Metro North's Mental Health - Alcohol and Drug Service (Adis), he provides insight into alcohol dependence and the ways in which the service can help people to manage their drinking.  

For information or support for yourself or someone close to you, visit Adis.

Are you the main mozzie attraction at a barbeque, coming home with dozens of bites? Or have you had the unfortunate experience of contracting a mosquito borne virus? 

Regardless of your history with mozzies, all Queenslanders need to know how to minimise their exposure to mosquito bites. In this episode, senior medical entomologist Scott Lyons, medical entomologist Brian Montgomery and Queensland’s Chief Health Officer, Dr John Gerrard, take us through why mozzies bite, why the bites can be so irritating, which viruses Queensland mosquitoes might carry and most importantly, how to avoid them. 

There’s also a neat science experiment, Zika Mozzie Seeker. you might be able to get involved in, and a few mozzie myths to bust, like whether mosquitoes really do prefer some people over others, and how different mosquito repellents work.  

Have you ever felt a bit cranky or lethargic, and had someone suggest your blood sugar is low? Or do you live with a condition like diabetes, which means you’re always aware of your blood sugar levels? 

Our blood sugar levels impact how we feel, how our body operates and how we behave. But how variable are they? Can a snack make all the difference to low blood sugar, and can getting a sunburn affect our blood sugar levels? 

In this episode, Dr Gaurav Puri helps us understand how our body converts food into blood sugar, why we need blood sugar and how insulin helps our body regulate levels. He also shares his tips for keeping blood sugar at healthy levels and the advice he gives to patients with diabetes.  

We’re all here because of periods, period. But we don’t all know a lot about the process of menstruation and it’s time for that to change. 

What’s normal and what’s not when it comes to periods? From timing to colour and flow, what should you expect from your period and when should you tell a doctor about something that seems a bit off? If you don’t have periods, what should you know to help better understand and support those who do? 

With the help of specialist gynaecologist and obstetrician Dr Michelle Proud, we’ll bust some period myths like whether your cycle can sync up with those around you and discuss how conditions like endometriosis can affect a person’s menstrual cycle and their overall wellbeing. 

Have you ever given blood? Or are you a bit scared of the *shivers* needle?  

Did you know that to meet demand, three Australians need to donate every minute? This episode will give you all the information you need before you roll up your sleeve.  

As Dr Alison Gould from Lifeblood walks us through the blood products donation process, we hear from a first-time blood donor, a Queenslander who has been giving blood and plasma for over 30 years, a Queensland family who rely on donated blood products. 

As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood donation myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers! 

Right now, you’ve got about 5 litres of blood pumping through your body. Blood literally keeps you alive, but how much do you know about how it works? 

With the help of haematology registrar Dr Aarya Murali and haematologist Dr Jeremy Robertson, we’ll breakdown what goes into making blood, how it powers your body and the mechanics that make it cycle through your system 100,000 times a day.  

As always, it can’t hurt to ask about some weird and wacky blood myths, so we’ll bust a few of those too. Listen now for the answers!