What Is A Poster, And Why Are They Effective?

A poster is any piece of printed paper designed to be attached to a wall or vertical surface. Typically posters include both textual and graphic elements, although a poster may be either wholly graphical or wholly text. Posters are designed to be both eye-catching and convey information. Posters may be used for many purposes. They are a frequent tool of advertisers (particularly of events, musicians and films), propagandists, protesters and other groups trying to communicate a message. Posters are also used for reproductions of artwork, particularly famous works, and are generally low-cost compared to original artwork. Another type of poster is the educational poster, which may be about a particular subject for educational purposes.

Many people also collect and sell posters, and some famous posters have become quite valuable. Collectors' posters and vintage posters are usually framed and matted. Posters may be any size.

Posters are seen by the target audience for only a few seconds – usually as the drive or walk past. They should be put up on poles next to busy roads or on walls and windows of shops where passers by can see them. It is important that they are as large and as bold as possible so that they attract attention and can be read easily. Here are some useful tips for producing good posters:

• Make the posters as large as possible - they should not be smaller than A2 (4 x a normal A4 page)
• Keep the writing as big as possible so that people can read it easily from about 10 metres away
• Use as few words as possible - avoid using full sentences. For example "Unite against Child Abuse" instead of "Let us unite in the fight against Child Abuse"
• Use colour if you can afford it – it make your poster stand out and attract more attention
• Do not put too many words and images on your poster – it may be beautiful, but if the design is too busy the most important information may not get through to the audience
• Make sure that the poster is easily recognised as belonging to your organisation by using your logo, colours or the abbreviation of your organisation’s name

Posters are generally very expensive to print but you can make them by hand by using koki pens or paint. If you have access to a silkscreen printer, you can also print posters yourself. A few well made beautiful posters can be much more effective than 100s of small ones that nobody notices. If you want to print posters it will cost you R2 - R4 per poster depending on the size and quality of paper you print it on. If the paper is thin you usually also have to use cardboard to stick the poster onto and this will add at least another R1 to the cost. Posters are best used for advertising events or for popularizing a short slogan that will get support for your cause or organization.

Involving Children In The Red Cross

Children's Colouring Book

9 Reasons For Donating Blood

1. Someone needs blood every 3 seconds in this country. An average of 40,000 units are needed every day in the U.S. There is no substitute for human blood.
2. 60% of the population will need blood at some time in their lives, yet less than 5% of the population donates.
3. Disasters like car accidents, fires, and other trauma cases happen every day and these patients need blood, and rarely do they need only one pint. A bleeding trauma victim can run through 100 units of blood in no time.
4. In Central Florida, because of our growing and aging population, as well as the huge expansion of health care facilities, our blood usage is growing at three times the national rate. Blood usage outpaces donor collections.
5. If all eligible donors would donate on a regular basis, four to six times a year, blood needs would be met and shortages could be a thing of the past.
6. For decades this nation relied on a large pool of blood donors from "The Greatest Generation," the heroic World War II veterans who considered blood donation to be an on-going patriotic duty. Sadly, that generation is fast disappearing and other new donors are not stepping forward to replace them.
7. Donating blood is safe and a healthy thing to do. Not only do you get a free mini physical, including blood pressure check, heart rate, temperature and iron levels, but it's the fastest way to lose a pound!
8. For men, there is a life-saving benefit to donating blood. Men are at higher risk for "hemochromatosis or iron overload" a potentially deadly problem where too much iron builds up in the blood. It can lead to heart disease and other major health problems. Research shows if men give blood 3 times a year, they can reduce their iron overload and therefore their risk of a heart attack by as much as 50%!
9. Blood donors are true heroes. In fact, your one blood donation will be broken down into several components, enabling you, with just one donation, to save up to three lives!

Infortmation About Blood Donation

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Blood Donation and Research

Donating blood for research helps to further medical knowledge on a wide range of blood-related medical conditions and diseases. These include blood clots, heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancer. New and effective treatments for these conditions depend on medical research.

Australians are familiar with the idea of donating blood to help people who need life-saving transfusions or regular blood products, but donating for medical research is less well known.

How blood is used for research
Research institutes use donated blood to increase understanding about blood clotting and disorders, and about diseases that affect the blood such as blood cancers.

About eight out of every 10 Australians will experience a blood-related disease at some point in their lives. Blood clots can cause heart attack or stroke, and blood cancers (such as lymphomas or leukemia) account for about 15 per cent of cancers in Australia. New and effective treatments for these conditions depend on medical research.

Examples of clinical studies
Donated blood is used to investigate the factors that contribute to blood-related diseases, including:

• Anti-clotting enzymes – normally, particular enzymes help to break down and remove blood clots from the bloodstream. Understanding this process may help to develop new treatments for life-threatening blood clots.
• Platelet adhesion – investigating the chemicals that cause platelets to stick to blood vessel walls can help determine why life-threatening conditions like stroke occur.
• Blood stem cells – blood components such as red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets are created by stem cells. Malfunctioning stem cells are thought to cause blood-related illnesses such as leukaemia. Investigating stem cell functions can lead to improved treatments.
• Myeloma – cancer of the plasma cells in bone marrow. Donated blood is used to test the effectiveness of new treatments.

Donor requirements
The donor requirements for research may be slightly different than those for Blood Bank donors, depending on the research project. For example, people with bleeding disorders or people who are taking blood-thinning medications are not usually able to participate in a research project that studies healthy platelets.

People who usually don’t qualify as Blood Bank donors (such as people who have lived in the United Kingdom) sometimes qualify as donors for medical research, depending on the project. All donors must be 18 years or over.

The donation process
If you are interested in donating blood for medical research, the process at the Australian Centre for Blood Diseases (ACBD) includes the following steps.

• Contact the Centre by phone to make an appointment.
• At the Centre, you are given a patient information form, which outlines the purpose of the research.
• You are given a consent form to sign.
• The blood collection procedure is safe and is performed by a qualified scientist, nurse or medical practitioner. Staff at the Centre take blood daily. The procedure takes about 20 minutes.
• The amount of blood required from each donor depends on the needs of the research project. The maximum amount of blood taken is 400ml. The body takes only a couple of days to replace the lost blood volume.
• In some cases, you may be paid a small amount (such as $10.00) for your time.
• If you want, you can be sent information on the outcomes of the research project.
• Depending on the amount of blood taken, you can donate again within three months. Most people can donate regularly.
• Your name and contact details are kept on a database in case you would like to give future donations.
• If you have a complaint about any aspect of the research, you can contact the Standing Committee on Ethics in Research on Humans.

The consent form
If you agree to participate in a blood research project, you will be required to sign a consent form. The exact content of the form may differ depending on the project requirements, but may include a statement that:

• You understand the aims of the research project (this should be explained to you).
• You are willing to donate the required amount of blood.
• You know that the blood donation procedure may be uncomfortable, and may result in a small amount of bruising around the needle site.
• The blood will be used purely for research, not for transfusion or any other medical purpose.
• All information you provide is confidential.
• Your participation is voluntary and you can change your mind at any stage if you want.

Where to get help

• Your doctor
• The Australian Centre for Blood Diseases Tel. (03) 9903 0122
• The Standing Committee on Ethics in Research on Humans Tel. (03) 9905 2052

Things to remember

• Donating blood for research purposes helps to further medical knowledge on a wide range of blood-related diseases. These include heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancer.
• The donor requirements may be slightly different than for Blood Bank donors, depending on the research project.
• The blood collection procedure is safe and is performed by a qualified scientist, nurse or medical practitioner.

Blood Statistics

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