Save 3 Lives In Just 8 Minutes!

Lindsay SurberPHED 232

Why Donate Blood? You have the potential

to save 3 lives every time you donate blood

That’s AT LEAST 18 lives you could save in one year’s time!

The 8 minutes a stranger donated may save you a lifetime!

The life you save may be your own or that of someone you know!

Why Donate Blood?

It’s one gift that could change another person’s life that won’t cost you a cent… only your time.

4.5 million Americans will need a blood transfusion each year.

43,000 pints: amount of donated blood used each day in the U.S. and Canada.

Someone needs blood every two seconds

Only 37 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood – less than 10 percent do annually.

About 1 in 7 people entering a hospital need blood.

One pint of blood can save up to three lives

Forty-two days: how long most donated red blood cells can be stored.

Much of today's medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.

46.5 gallons: amount of blood you could donate if you begin at age 17 and donate every 56 days until you reach 79 years old.

3 pints: the average whole blood and red blood cell transfusion.*

A patient could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ, if compatible blood is not available to support the transplant

Thirteen tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.

17 percent of non-donors cite "never thought about it" as the main reason for not giving, while 15 percent say they're too busy.

Shortages of all blood types happen during the summer and winter holidays.

If all blood donors gave three times a year, blood shortages would be a rare event (the current average is about two).

If only one more percent of all Americans would give blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future.

Only 3 in every 100 people donate There is no substitute for human

blood!

How many of us really know all the different ways in which the blood you donate will be

used?

Donor Health Benefits

Donors get a mini-physical every time they donate blood

- Pulse- Blood Pressure- Body Temperature- Hemoglobin Lower Iron levels Consistent blood donation is

associated with lowered risks for cancers including liver, lung, colon, stomach and throat cancers

Donors who donate regularly over years have an 88 percent lower risk of heart attacks and a 33 percent lower risk of any severe cardiovascular event, such as a stroke

Help your body function more efficiently by allowing it to replenish your blood supply regularly

If you aren’t able to donate you can still help by volunteering.

Eligibility Requirements: Blood Donors Must: Be healthy* Be at least 17 years old in most

states, or 16 years old with parental consent if allowed by state law

Weigh at least 110 lbs. Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors.

* Note: Healthy means that you feel well and can perform normal activities. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, healthy also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.

Tattoos & Piercings: Wait 12 months if there is any question whether or not the instruments used were sterile and free of blood contamination. This requirement is related to concerns about hepatitis.

Travel: Wait 12 months after travel in an area where malaria is found (Including Iraq). Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found.

Persons who have spent long periods of time in countries where "mad cow disease" is found are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant Creutzfeld Jacob Disease

Antibiotics: A donor with an acute infection should not donate. The reason for antibiotic use must be evaluated to determine if the donor has a bacterial infection that could be transmissible by blood. Acceptable after finishing oral antibiotics for an infection.

Medications: In almost all cases, medications will not disqualify you as a blood donor. Your eligibility will be based on the reason that the medication was prescribed. As long as the condition is under control and you are healthy, blood donation is usually permitted.

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements/eligibility-criteria-topic

The Donating Process

Step 1 Registration: staff and volunteers will sign you in and go over basic eligibility and donation information.

You will read information about donating blood, and be asked to show a donor card, driver's license, or other form(s) of ID.

Step 2- Mini Physical: Answer questions during a private, confidential interview about your health history and places you have traveled.

They will check your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin level present in a sample of blood.

Step 3- Donation: The actual donation takes about 8-10 minutes, during which you will be seated comfortably. The process is safe and sterile. Red Cross staff and volunteers are available if you have any questions.

Step 4 Refreshment: After donating, you should have a snack and something to drink.

You can leave the site after 10-15 minutes and continue with your normal daily activities.

Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment knowing that you have helped save lives!

Types of Donations

1 - Blood (or Whole Blood) Donation This is the most common type of donation,

during which approximately a pint of 'whole blood' is given.

The blood is separated into transfusable components – red cells, plasma, platelets and/or cryoprecipitated AHF.

This type of blood donation usually takes about an hour, though the actual donation takes about 8-10 minutes.

You are eligible to donate 'whole blood' every 56 days.

2 - Platelet Apheresis Platelet donations are collected at select

American Red Cross Blood Donation centers only.

During this type of donation, an apheresis machine collects the platelets and some plasma and returns the red cells and most of the plasma back to the donor.

Platelets are a vital element of cancer and organ transplant treatments, as well as many surgical procedures as they help prevent massive blood loss.

A single donation of platelets collected by apheresis can constitute one or several transfusable units, while it takes about five whole blood donations to constitute a single transfusable unit of platelets.

The donation takes approximately one and-a-half to two and-a-half hours.

Types of Donations

3 - Plasma Apheresis Plasma is collected simultaneously with a

platelet donation and is collected at select American Red Cross Donation Centers only.

During a plasma apheresis donation, the blood is collected by a machine, which separates the plasma, red cells and platelets and returns the red cells and/or platelets back to the donor.

While donors with Type AB blood can only give red cells to other Type AB recipients, they are the universal plasma donors. The ‘right type’ donation for AB donors may be an apheresis donation of plasma or plasma and platelets. 

The donation takes approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes

4 - Double Red Cells Double red cell donation is done with the help

of an apheresis machine which collects the red cells but returns most of the plasma and platelets to the donor.

Red cells are the most transfused blood component, and certain blood types are often in short supply.

Double red cell donations from Type O donors and donors with Rh-negative blood types play a very important role in maintaining blood supply levels.

Donors need to meet slightly higher hemoglobin and body height/weight requirements in order to be able to give a double red cell donation.

Double red cell donations take approximately 1 hour and 25 minutes, though the actual donation takes about 30-35 minutes, and allow you to give two units of red cells.

Available in most donation centers and some blood drives.

Donors are eligible to give double red cells every 112 days.

Recipient Stories

Emily Because of You

Dear Mystery Donor, I just wanted to say thank you for taking a little time out of your day to donate blood. Because of you I was given the chance to live. Without your blood donation I would not be alive. Because of you, I was able to learn how to play sports. Because of you I was able to graduate from high school and move on to college to further my education. Because of you, hopefully one day I will be saving lives, like you did, by helping others in the medical field. If I haven't mentioned it enough thank you because you changed my life.

I was given a chance to raise my babies!In 2009 after delivering identical twin baby girls, I developed pain in my abdomen shooting into my neck. As the night went on it worsened and my vitals decided to fall also. I finally realized something was really wrong and asked them to call my doctor. The feeling of impeding doom was stronger than ever. After ordering some blood work and an emergency CT scan they discovered I was bleeding into my abdomen but couldn't find the cause. They came in and immediately asked me about getting blood. I consented and they proceeded to start giving me 4 units of blood as they rushed me off to surgery. While in surgery they couldn't find the immediate cause but were able to tie off my uterine artery and stop the bleeding. They then evacuated 2 liters of blood out of my belly. I made it though surgery and then next day I got another 2 units of blood. Had it not been for the 6 units of blood I was given from donors and the fine hands of my surgeons I would not be around today to be a mom to my 18 month old twin girls and 4 year old son. Thank you for giving such a special gift. I had given blood several times in the past but hadn't been able too until again recently. I plan on giving anytime I am able to repay the favor.

Question is…Can you take 8 minutes out of your schedule to save 3 lives??? I hope you will consider it!

Donation Opportunity!

April 26, 2011 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Atkins First Church of God 6118 Lee Hyway Atkins, VA 24311 Donation Types: Blood May 18th, 2011 Johnston Memorial Hospital JMH Donor Center (hospital) 7:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Sources

http://www.americasblood.org/go.cfm?do=page.view&pid=12

http://www.livestrong.com/article/96891-health-benefits-donating-blood/

http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/why-donate-blood