BLOOD is one of the most precious gifts anyone can give to another person. It is the gift of life! It is a gift that keeps on giving because the people touched by that blood move on to live their lives, impacting other people and the world. In fact, one pint of donated blood has the capacity to save more than one life, specifically if the blood is broken down into its components of red blood cell, plasma, and platelets.
I will be eternally grateful to those blood donors who do this selfless act tirelessly because we have been at the receiving end of this gift. My husband, who was bumped by a 10-wheeler truck, received seven to eight bags of whole blood while he was in the hospital for 24 days. He again had to rely on blood transfusion, with two bags of packed RBC (red blood cells) through the Red Cross, when he had his final surgery, a cranioplasty, a week ago.
Blood is always needed to save the lives of people in a medical emergency, as well as to sustain the lives of people battling chronic illness that requires for them to have regular blood transfusions. Examples of these are sickle cell disease (a blood disorder), thalassemia (the body makes an abnormal form of hemoglobin), hemophilia (blood clotting disorder), etc. Aside from that, people undergoing major surgeries need to have these bags of blood on standby.
There is a constant need for safe blood because it can only be stored for a limited time. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are essential and necessary so that safe blood will always be available whenever or wherever it is needed.
Imagine having a medical emergency with no blood available! Upon donation, blood needs to be tested for illnesses and it needs to be cross-matched with the recipient, too. It is a stringent process that takes time, so it is critical to have a healthy supply in the blood banks.
Many reading materials state that January is National Blood Donor Month. In fact many studies show that there are health benefits of donating blood. These include reduced risk of cancer and hemochromatosis (disease of too much iron build up in the body). It also helps in reducing the risk of damage to liver and pancreas. Donating blood may help in improving cardiovascular health (by lessening blood viscosity) and reducing obesity.
If you’re in CDO and you are planning on making a change and helping those in need, consider being a blood donor. The Red Cross is in serious need of blood donation from you. You or your friends can be donors or you can even set up and make a donation drive event.
Simply get in touch with The Red Cross Mindanao chapter to find out the necessary steps to be a donor or to set-up a blood drive. For donation, call Dr. Christina G, Pelaez at 09176245782, Dinah T. Salarda at 09066723438/8566647 or Israel Mamat at 09267333304. Donate Blood. Save Life.