Some people collect postcards when they travel. Trevor Bergman collected opportunities to help strangers.
The 59-year-old police officer from Melbourne has donated blood and plasma 545 times over more than four decades. And in May 2026, he completed an unusual personal mission: donating at every one of Australia's 85 Lifeblood donation centres.
His final stop was Canberra, where Australia's Governor-General, Sam Mostyn, joined him in donating.
A Journey That Began With One Stop
Bergman first donated blood at 18. Years later, during a holiday in Perth, he visited a local donation centre and realized he could combine two things he enjoyed: exploring Australia and helping others.
What began as a holiday idea grew into a decade-long journey across the country.
He visited donation centres along the east coast, across Western Australia, and as far north as Darwin.
Not every visit went according to plan. At one centre in Albany, staff asked him to return another time because he had cold symptoms. Bergman accepted the decision, understanding that donor and patient safety must come first.
A Rare Gift for Newborn Babies
Bergman is one of approximately 150 Australians known to carry the anti-D antibody.
Donations containing this antibody can be used to make treatments that help protect babies when certain differences between a mother's and baby's blood types could otherwise cause serious complications.
According to Australian Red Cross Lifeblood, anti-D treatment is provided to nearly 48,000 pregnant women in Australia each year.
Bergman's donations are part of that important supply, although the exact number of patients helped by his individual donations is unknown.
Kindness, One Donation at a Time
His achievement was highlighted by ABC News on October 30, 2026, after he had completed his nationwide challenge earlier in the year.
Beyond the extraordinary number of donations, his story offers a simple message: generosity doesn't always require a grand gesture.
Sometimes it means making time, showing up, and doing something helpful again and again.
For Trevor Bergman, those small acts became a journey across an entire country — and a lasting gift to people he may never meet.
