Who can we blame for this situation? Who else, but ourselves. Despite being all educated and sophisticated, a lot of us still hesitate to donate blood. We are either too scared or too busy.
Some recent articles that talk of blood shortages:
Its pathetic to know how a family has to literally hop from bank to bank, from hospital to hospital, to fetch blood for a child who has to be given blood once every month for a medical condition that she has. Also, due to the high demand of blood, some blood banks sell them for high prices, and people are forced to buy.
Or, you can't get blood unless you give a replacement blood, which means, when you need blood, its up to you to find someone of the same blood group(sometimes they accept other blood groups also, depending upon the demand) who can give blood, which is very difficult to find.
What will we end up doing if we are put up in situation? We don't have to worry because we know someone from the blood bank or a relative is a doctor or we have enough money to buy blood, however expensive it may be? Still, none of this will help if there is no blood available.
Donating blood, is infact a healthy act in terms of the donor's health also.
1. Lower iron levels in the body every time you give blood, which can help reduce the risk of heart disease.
2. Helps lower your risk of cancer. Consistent blood donation is associated with lowered risks for cancers including liver, lung, colon, stomach and throat cancers. Risk levels dropped in correlation with how often participants donated blood.
3. Help the body function more efficiently by allowing it to replenish the blood supply regularly. . This process of replenishment can help the body stay healthy and work more efficiently and productively.
Above all, the satisfaction obtained is boundless.
Something that I didn't know before - A normal healthy person can donate blood once in every 56 days. If we all donate regularly, imagine how much can be collected.
There won't be any discomfort after donating, usually. Sometimes there might be a little giddiness, but it won't exist more than a few minutes. They say its advisable to eat well before and after giving blood.
I remember donating blood in my college Lion's club blood drive, because they were giving cookies, fruits and juice and also because we could escape from the afternoon session of classes. A group of us planned and went to give at the same time, so we can also have fun, simultaneously. Unfortunately, they weren't able to take enough from me as the veins were too small or blocked(don't remember exactly), but it was fun. I didn't know then, how much a blood donation meant.
A wide-spread myth - Women can't donate blood, which is not true at all.
Sometimes, I tend to have silly questions like "what is the purpose of life?" What is life apart from family, friends, job, money? It is acts like these that will keep us going.
Donate blood, as blood can't be manufactured and others deserve it too :)
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