An Open Letter To Anyone Considering Donating Blood:
Something that has been very close to my heart since I can remember has been donating blood. When talking with people my age about donating blood there are usually a lot of questions and misleading information out there. I’m here to educate and inform you of this amazing gift you have to give and hopefully encourage you to go through with your decision to donate.
“How long does it take?”
Here’s the process: After showing up to your appointment you will go through a few steps that from beginning to end has you leaving around half an hour to an hour from the time you came in. The actual blood donation itself takes less than 10 minutes!
“How much blood do they take?”/ “Will I be okay afterwards?”
An average adult has about 10-12 pints of blood in their body. During a blood donation you only give about 1 pint of that. Your body begins to make new cells immediately so you will be in absolutely fine condition afterwards.
“Who needs blood/how much?”
Think about this… every 2 seconds someone needs blood. (WHAT?) God forbid your mom, or dad, or grandma gets in a single car crash, they will use about 100 pints of blood. That means, approximately 100 people would have had to have donated before your loved one was injured for them to receive the help they need. A few more examples… A 19 year old girl battling leukemia and a bone marrow transplant used over 300 pints of blood in her 2 year treatment. A 12 year old’s heart transplant used 129 pints.
“That’s gross I don’t want my blood in someone else”
The process that your blood goes through after donation is quite rigorous. There are 3 components to your blood: red cells, platelets and plasma. Each of these parts to your blood help with different things. Your blood is separated into these parts so they can be given to different patients. For example, a cancer patient might use your platelets, a burn patient may use your plasma and a heart surgery will require your red cells. If you are a fan of recycling and anything related to “going green” this truly is the best form of recycling out there.
“No one I know needs blood”/ “I will donate when someone I know needs it”
There is a 70% chance that in your lifetime you will need blood, so this idea that no one you know needs blood may be true in this moment – but somewhere down the line you are guaranteed that you or someone close to you will need blood. Blood takes about a week to be cleaned, processed, and separated before it can be given to a patient. A real life example that will disprove this theory of donating last minute can be seen in very large scale with the Boston Marathon Bombing. Hundreds of people went to hospitals to donate to specific patients who were injured during the horrific event but at that point those injured in the bombings were receiving blood from people who had donated many weeks before the event occurred. My question for those who have the outlook that they will donate when someone they immediately know needs it is, why not donate on a regular basis so when tragedy does strike you know you have already made a difference?
“It hurts”
During your donation you will feel a small pinch at the beginning when the needle enters your arm. Once the needle is in you cannot feel it at all. After 5-7 minutes the needle is removed and you may have a bruise the size of a dime for a day or two. All in all the process is virtually painless. Since I turned 16 I have given blood multiple times. I can without a doubt say the split second pinch I endure is nothing compared to the pain and suffering people go through for months and years when suffering from illnesses. From infants to adults, people who need blood the most are most likely going through extremely painful procedures on a daily basis. If I can tough out a little pinch to hopefully make their health improve it is a very small price to pay.
Blood is not something that can be manufactured out in a factory somewhere; the only way to get it is through generous people deciding to donate. There are no other charities or volunteering opportunities that take less time and are absolutely FREE. Many charities for cancer, heart disease, or burn victims often support the donation of blood because without it, the people they are supporting most likely wouldn’t be alive for the fight. Sometimes when looking for organizations or charities to support it can be overwhelming and you are not certain where your money or goods are going. When donating blood you can be assured that the gift you are giving is making an immediate difference in someone’s life. How amazing is it that you have the ability to change someone’s life in under an hour, for free, and with little energy expended on your behalf. This gift you possess is an amazing one; don’t let it go to waste.
For more info check the link below!
http://www.massgeneral.org/blooddonor/