You never made a blood donation ? Well, now it's time !
My story as a blood donor :
It's been more than a year now when I made my first blood donation. I remember being very stressed yet excited to do a good action. And I must admit that : it wasn't so bad (at all) !
I was curious one day, so I just consulted the website of the french blood center to see the dates and locations where to donate blood. I just wrote the date on my agenda and went to at the moment.
First, I entered. Two people were sitting at a table with information flyers and health forms to distribute to the donors. I was excited and asked « Hello ! How can I donate blood ? ». The woman sitting at the table gave me the flyer, the form, the little bottle of water we have to drink completly before the donation, and indicate me where I should wait the doctor. The man who was with her didn't say Hello, he was looking at me, crossed arms on his huge belly and told me « YOU MUST WEIGHT 50 KG TO MAKE A DONATION !!! ». I tried to keep smilling, but I didn't know what to say, so I was like « Hmmm, yes, hmm, I'm good, I weight 53. » I was less excited now... but I didn't came for him, I came for a higher cause than the look of others.
I answered the form. Health questions :
Do you have this illness ?
Does a member of your familly have that illness ?
Did you get a tattoo within the last 4 months ?
Do you take drugs with a seringe ?
Did you have sex with people without protection ?
Did you have sex with an homosexual man ?
…
My bronze badge of blood donor:
Then it's time for the inteview with the doctor.
She test a drop of my blood. She aske me questions. She ask me to go on the scale to verify my weight. She take my pressure.
Everything's OK. I can donate 450ml of my precious blood. I go to the nurses. I lay on a bed and show my arm. She make me repeat my identity while she plunges the needle into my vein (it's a trick they do to distract you from the pain, and to force you to talk, assuring that you breath and do not faint). Nurse give me a paper of post-donation information, explaining what to do and to not do after giving your blood (driving for a long distance, drinking alcohol, excercising...). Then I stay here, plugged to the machine that suck my blood out of me. It's really strange to see that, especially the first time.
When the little bag is full, the nurse apply a band-aid and ask me to stay a couple of minutes. After, then, I can go to the SNACK TABLE ! Yeah !
A great table where huge amount of food is waiting for us generous donors. Sandwiches, cake, coffee, drinks, yogurts, fruits, chocolate cream, milk, fruit juice.
After 20 minutes, I thanked the doctors and nurses for what they do. They thanked me. Until next time, fellows !
To date I have done 4 blood donation, but cannot for the moment due to health problems. It's always a pleasing moment in which I feel useful helping people who need blood. And for their sake, I try to convince as much people as possible to donate.
My blood donor diploma :
Here are some interesting numbers about blood donation and medical use of blood :
- In France, 10 000 blood donations are needed EVERYDAY to save or cure patients.
- More than 1 Million people are save every year in France thanks to blood donations.
- Blood is used in several ways : emergencies (accidents, surgeries, birth delivery …), to cure illness (cancer, blood illness or deficiency), and to create medicines with blood.
- Around 200 illnesses are treated with blood created medicines.
- 1 blood donation cave save upt to 3 lives.
- In the United States, every 2 SECONDS, a person need a blood donation.
- In the United States, only 7% of the population have a universal donor type O negative.
Reasons why you should donate your blood
- You save lives : people who got an accident, cancer patients, mothers who gave birth, …
- You have more than enough blood, so don't be so selfish !
- Your blood regenerate quickly, you just have to rest for few hours, avoiding sport, long drives or alcohol
- You get a free snack ! It's a friendly moment where we just sit at the snack table, eat a sandwich, biscuits, muffins, fruits, coffee, yogurts, etc, etc, etc. You just stay here, relax for 20 minutes, discussing with other donors. I love this moment.
- You're a hero now, so you can brag about it before your friends, familly, colleagues... everyone can only be proud and impressed.
- You have time to do it, instead of staying at home watching cat videos.
And the most obvious reason of donating blood : you shouldn't need a reason...
Invitation from the blood center to my next donation :
It will only take an hour (all included : getting in, answer the form, the inteview with the doctor, the waiting line, the donation, the snack) of your time to save lives. So I would really like you to try, and also to talk about it around you.
Thanks for reading.