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Recently my niece donated blood for the first time. She just turned 16, got her license and (possibly feeling invincible) went to donate blood. It turns out that she suffers the same fate as me and my sister when we donate blood; she passed out. Well she almost passed out. She got up too fast, felt dizzy and with her weak stomach, got sick. She felt embarrassed but one of the workers told her that with her donation, she would be able to save 3 lives. That of course made her feel a lot better.
It is amazing how a thing such as donating some of your blood can save so many people. I have donated only once before I became a diabetic and haven't donated since. I have known other diabetics who have donated plasma instead and only a few who have donated blood. It's not like I'm afraid of needles, they are my best friend now, I just don't want my blood sugar to get too low.
Donating blood can be a scary thing. But here are a few encouraging facts about dontating:
-The Red Cross started providing blood for patients in 1940.
-Every two seconds someone needs a blood transfusion.
-About 5 million patients in the US need blood every year.
-Less than 38% of the population is eligible to give blood.
-Blood can not be manufactured; it can only come from volunteers.
-Platelets, critical for cancer patients, have a shelf life of only 5 days.
-Adults have around 10 pints of blood in their body. 1 pint is given during a donation.
-Donors can give blood every 56 days. Platelet donors can give every 7 days.
-More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every year.
If any of that has struck a cord, here are some blood drives coming up in the area:
July 29 at the Memorial Building in Fennimore, WI from 11:30-5:30
August 1 at the United Methodist Church in Dodgeville, WI from 12:30-5:30
August 5 at the American Legion in Darlington, WI from 12:30-5:30
August 21 at the Upland Hills Health in Dodgeville, WI from 9:00-2:00
If you have not donated before, go to redcrossblood.org to get more information about donating. As the Red Cross tweeted "Many people don't give blood because they weren't asked. Consider yourself asked! Patients need you."