But in his case, he’s saving his own life too.

He has a hereditary condition called haemochromatosis or inherited iron overload disorder. 

It’s not uncommon, affecting as many as one in 200 Europeans, but he had never heard of it until diagnosed.

At age 30, when he was falling asleep as soon as he got home from work, he would have expected low iron levels to be the culprit.

He only knew that he felt like an old man way before his time.

“I went off to the doctor, who ordered some blood tests,” he remembers.

“There was one specifically to check my iron level, which was off the charts.

“I then had a liver biopsy and my liver was saturated.” 

Iron overload causes fatigue, weakness, lethargy, apathy, weight loss, abdominal pain and joint aches.

It can also affect organs causing liver, heart or pancreatic problems. 

It is associated with arthritis and Graham has already had to have both hips replaced.

While haemochromatosis cannot be managed with diet (by avoiding iron-rich foods), regular blood donations keep Graham “on top of the world”.

With early diagnosis and good management, Graham and his descendents have a normal health and life expectancy.

But the condition has already taken a tragic toll on his family.

“My mother died at 43 – when I was about 11 – with kidney failure,” Graham said.

“My uncle died at 39, we got his death certificate and it says he died of cirrhosis of the liver. At the time they didn’t know, now we know they would have had this.” 

Graham is a regular at the blood bank, booked in every time they visit Forbes and happy his blood donations can also help someone else.

“It’s a win-win,” he said.

“It saves my life and helps others.”