Donating Blood - Why It's Important

Imagine this: You are driving down the road with your significant other, on the way to a fantastic romantic dinner. The two of you are enjoying a wonderful conversation about your future together, and all that you have planned. There is a traffic light coming up, you are okay to go through, so you continue. However, the vehicle to the right of you does not obey his red light, and comes barreling right at your car. BAM! You blink, and you are covered in blood-losing it quickly from a large injury resulting from the collision. Now, you are in the hospital, and you must receive a blood transfusion, or you face death. Thankfully, your partner is able to donate for you. So much for the romantic dinner, right?

Now, imagine that you were not able to receive that transfusion because of the low blood supply...and because your partner's blood type was incompatible. You would have come to the end of your road there, all because someone ran a red light, and no one took the time to donate blood.

Donating blood is important because each donation of one pint can save up to three lives. Yet, as of 2001, according to the American Red Cross, only 5% of eligible Americans donate. Why is this? What can you do to help solve this problem? Quite simply, you can donate up to 6 times a year-every 56 days, or 8 weeks.

So, what is the big deal about donating blood? Are you scared of needles? You don't think you have time? That is no excuse! If you have a tattoo or body piercing, chances are you have felt more pain from that procedure than you ever will from a donation. The actual blood donation part takes about 10 minutes...and the pinch of the needle only lasts a second. The rest of your hour is spent during registration taking personal information, health records, etc., that are all kept in confidentiality for your safety as well as others. All blood donations use sterile needles, which are used one time by a donor and replaced after each donation. An hour every two months is all it takes to ensure that the newborn baby with heart complications or the new mother who lost a lot of blood in the emergency cesarean section can survive.