OT: Consider Donating Blood
I know this probably isn't the right forum, but my social media reach is pretty limited and I think this is important. We are pretty good at aiming the money cannon when needed, but now there is a need for something else you can donate... blood. Our hospitals and blood centers (like the Red Cross) are experiencing severe shortages. Thousands of blood drives have been canceled as college campuses are effectively closed, and others aren't donating.
If you have the opportunity, please consider donating.
https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/critical-blood-shortages-because-of-covid-19/
I have an appointment scheduled for next week at a local blood drive. That'll be pint 13 - going for the 2 gallon mark this year!
You sound like me Andy...just set my alarm to go to my appointment tomorrow on Packard rd.
My two gallon pin is on my lanyard for M events right between the football helmets and hockey sticks.
I donate pretty much as often as I can. I am 2 pints from the 5 gallon mark. I have O negative so I feel like it is important.
It's the right forum.
Thanks for posting and the reminder.
I agree! There is no wrong forum for this.
I pass out when I donate but I am going to suck it up and do double red as I am O-.
Is that ok? Honest question because I have this problem. I'm not sure exactly what it is, (maybe my body just can't handle the steep decrease in blood pressure?), but I have never been able to donate blood without getting dizzy and passing out about 60 seconds in. Last time, the person taking the blood implied that my minor donation wasn't really usable because they had to stop before they got enough.
If the volume donated is too low it cannot be used, that is correct.
I would recommend hydration before going to donate and don’t squeeze too much, just be content with a longer donation.
If you can’t donate don’t beat yourself up about it, some people just aren’t able to donate.
Thanks - I think lots of people are looking for things they can do to be helpful and this is a great one.
Maybe we could get a toilet paper manufacturer or some local hoarders to donate some of their stash and blood banks could offer a roll of toilet paper for each blood donation.
That's awesome.
One gets 1 roll per 75 ml donated.
That would fix hoarding AND blood shortages real quick!
You'd think, but then you would have someone visiting 10 blood banks a day giving blood and eventually dying.
At may last donation (January), Culver's gave a certificate for a pint of their frozen custard. "A pint for a pint" was a welcome benefit!
Wait, what? Is this a thing? Can I just walk into Culver's with the red cross sticker and thing on my arm and get free custard?
More than just a sticker. The donation center provided donors a certificate after donating. I took that into Culvers and walked out with a pint - Hazelnut, I believe.
Thank you for posting this. I welcome reminders of things we can do in this time of need.
I would also tell people that can afford to, to consider making a donation to their local food bank. Food banks are going to get hit hard by rising unemployment and may see a decline in donations from grocery stores that are struggling to keep shelves stocked because of panic buying.
I'll put in my plug for donating platelets ... also known as "apheresis."
Platelets are used, typically, for cancer patients. The supply of platelets is less than whole blood because the shelf life is shorter: platelets have a shelf life of about 5 days.
It's a time commitment, however: an apheresis appointment takes about 2.5 hours, end to end. It usually involves two needles: a needle in one arm to draw the blood, a needle in the other arm to return the blood minus the platelets. Apheresis centers typically have flat screens at each bed so you can watch TV or a DVD while you donate.
With platelets you can donate every 7 days. I usually go about every 3 weeks.
Related: "Power Red" donation, which uses the apheresis machines to extract a double whole blood of cells, but they return the plasma and add saline. I think the wait time between donations is longer with power red, but I'm not sure.
Thank you to the OP for starting this thread and thanks for your comment about platelets. I used to donate blood myself. Not like clockwork, but whenever it popped up on my radar.
I was diagnosed with a blood cancer about 15 months ago, so I'll never be able to donate blood again. I just did a procedure called a Stem Cell Transplant and for the first time in my life, I was on the receiving end for both whole blood and platelets. I can't tell you how grateful I am to the total strangers that made those donations. It does indeed make a difference.
On cooldown - great idea.
Friday morning at 7:10. Go Blue
If you donate blood likely they may tests for COVID19 in the blood.
At risk of starting another heated back and forth on Coronavirus testing, is that based on knowledge of the procedures being used?
My sense is that they are just depending on questionnaires or maybe taking your temperature.https://www.fda.gov/vaccines-blood-biologics/safety-availability-biologics/important-information-blood-establishments-regarding-novel-coronavirus-outbreak
It hopefully goes without saying, if you are exhibiting symptoms or have other reason to believe you may be infected, stay away from the blood bank.
It does seem odd to promote exchanging blood when we are self isolating. I hope they can test the blood before they use it.
If it's the Red Cross, they draw vials along with the donation, and they run a battery of tests against the samples (which are cross-linked to the donation via barcode) to insure things are okay.
They goofed up my online appointment today and were too full to take me as a walk-in, so I re-scheduled for Fridayl
Donated March 1st - great reminder for folks. Giving blood is a great thing - good for your personal health, and can save 3 lives.
For a litany of health reasons I’ve never been able to donate blood. Never realized it was good for the donor too. Is that common knowledge? For those that are ignorant like me:
Health Benefits Of Donating Blood
Blood donation not only makes the receiver’s life good but also helps the donor to maintain good health. The health benefits of donating blood are mentioned below.
PREVENTS HEMOCHROMATOSIS
Health benefits of blood donation include reduced risk of hemochromatosis. Hemochromatosis is a health condition that arises due to excess absorption of iron by the body. This may be inherited or may be caused due to alcoholism, anemia or other disorders. Regular blood donation may help in reducing iron overload. Make sure that the donor meets the standard blood donation eligibility criteria.
ANTI-CANCER BENEFITS
Blood donation helps in lowering the risk of cancer. By donating blood the iron stores in the body are maintained at healthy levels. A reduction in the iron level in the body is linked with low cancer risk.
MAINTAINS HEALTHY HEART & LIVER
Blood donation is beneficial in reducing the risk of heart and liver ailments caused by the iron overload in the body. Intake of iron-rich diet may increase the iron levels in the body, and since only limited proportions can be absorbed, excess iron gets stored in heart, liver, and pancreas. This, in turn, increases the risk of cirrhosis, liver failure, damage to the pancreas, and heart abnormalities like irregular heart rhythms. Blood donation helps in maintaining the iron levels and reduces the risk of various health ailments.
WEIGHT LOSS
Regular blood donation reduces the weight of the donors. This is helpful to those who are obese and are at higher risk of cardiovascular diseases and other health disorders. However, blood donation should not be very frequent and you may consult your doctor before donating blood to avoid any health issues.
STIMULATES BLOOD CELL PRODUCTION
After donating blood, the body works to replenish the blood loss. This stimulates the production of new blood cells and in turn, helps in maintaining good health.
From: https://www.brmsonline.com/blog/wellness/healthcare/2018/benefits-of-blood-donation
Neat! I'd always just known the last one on your list - that it helps stimulate blood cell production.
I'm banned from giving blood. I lived in the UK during the mad cows disease mess. I ate a lot of beef while I was there.
Same. It was enough of a wake up call that i stopped eating cows and bats.
March 17th, 2020 at 10:29 PM ^
Or you were incarcerated for more than 72 hours ...
Yes, this is important to remember - COVID-19 isn't the only medical situation going on, there are still all the same assortment of "regular" medical emergencies.
I gave a power red donation last month. Not allowed to give again until June :(
6.8.0Donating blood does not compromise your immune system.
Donated last month. Just got a card yesterday that my blood was used at St. John Hospital in Detroit. So while Woody Hayes wouldn't buy Michigan gas, Michigan is more than welcome to my Ohio blood. The cells may look red, but they're really maize and blue.
March 18th, 2020 at 11:40 PM ^
O- here. Donated yesterday for the first time in about a decade. Thanks to the op for creating the thread.
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