A newborn boy with tubes and cords running from head to toe to machines of baffling complexity. That's my reason.

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We realised he was the sickest baby in Canberra because the nurses would not leave his side. It was, quite literally, around-the-clock care.

One of the tubes that did make sense to our shocked, sleep-deprived brains was connected to a bag of blood.

You don't imagine your parenting journey beginning with multiple organ failure and blood transfusions, but there we were; praying that the gift from a stranger would help save our boy.

When you walk into a Red Cross blood or plasma centre, there's a whiteboard asking you to share your reason for donating.

People write about the times they've needed a donation. Or the times a loved one has. Some people say they do it just because they can.

I hadn't written my reason down before this week, but that stricken baby, who miraculously survived and thrived, is mine.

On my donation days, together we ride the bus to the city. He heads off to school as I head to my familiar routine, and he's really been none the wiser about my "why" (until reading and approving this piece).

This week I hit a milestone of 100 donations. It was a proud moment, and the staff made it........

© Canberra Times