The Joy Of Blood Donation....

Now today I would like to share some of my experiences of blood donation...I won't be able to give much insight about blood donation in pure medical terms but still...

Why are we people afraid of giving blood??
Today of of my comrades Aghil came to me in the morning saying that his classmates cousin(who is a 6 year old boy) who was suffering from leukemia and was undergoing treatment at RCC was in dire need of blood.
 So we set out on the task of finding 4 people with A+ve group from a college of about 900 students ...But guess what we could find only 1!!(That to thanx to Sherly teacher who requested her students to donate...I thought when will our other teacher's come out of their textbook's and teach their students about their social commitments??)

That one person was a girl even when the so called boys of our college sat like idols she showed the courage to come out...Now with her and one of her classmate also willing to donate we went to RCC...But all we all knew that the boy wouldn't survive and all that we could give him was some hope...

Now back to the question... Why are we so afraid???
Nothing will happen to us if 500ml of blood is taken from us and that too for a good cause.
The first time we give blood we will be a bit scared but after we wont even feel tired after donating blood.But every time we give , we will have a special feeling , a feeling that we have helped someone.And that feeling is priceless.Today right after donation I was able to continue with all my regular activities and could even pursue some of my bad habits without any difficulty.

The most common reason for not donating is "there is nothing in my body to take blood from..."
I would like to enlighten all these ignorant people to the point that after conducting a thorough fitness checkup only will you be asked to give your blood(Extra care is taken in case of girls...)

In my opinion the problem is not with our bodies but with our minds and our attitude.If your life is not of any use to your fellow beings its better to drown yourself than to be a burden on this earth.

Just remember anything can happen to any anyone at anytime...Today its was they who needed it but tomorrow it can be you or your loved ones.If you don't give today, tomorrow you wont have any right to ask others.

Some of us a genuinely ignorant about blood donation but others being fully aware tend to be ignorant.I believe it's the adults who have to show us the way. It starts with our parents and teachers...Its they who have to teach the coming generation...Its they who have to mold them into good social beings rather than letting them be just a mass of flesh without any good to the society....

I don't think that all that I have said above will inspire someone to give blood only if we have a genuine urge to help others will there be any significant change and that urge must come from within.If that doesn't come naturally it will definitely come when your loved ones are in need.But why wait till that.lets start from today...
Now somethings that are of use to the genuinely ignorant but people who have an urge to help others....




Source: Blood Donation Myth's and Fact's-How real are your blood donation fears???
by Dr.Vasundhara Atre

A single donation could save the life of three people. The blood can be given as whole blood or separated into three different components- red blood cells, plasma and platelets, which can help different types of patients.

Myth: Being a vegetarian, means that the blood does not have enough iron and cannot be donated.

Fact: Vegetarians can donate blood. The iron needed is taken from body stores and once a balanced diet is maintained is replaced after donation. This usually normally takes a month or so.

Myth: Giving blood hurts.

Fact: The pain experienced is no more than a needle prick. The slight soreness that maybe where the needle was is just a reminder of the good deed done.

Myth: HIV or other infections can be contracted from donating blood.

Fact: A clear procedure exists for taking blood from each donor. Sterility is maintained at all steps. A sterile, new needle is used for each donation and is then properly discarded. Use of sterile equipment and technique limits the chance of infection.

Myth: Giving blood is time consuming

Fact: The time taken for a single donation session is normally not more than an hour or so.

Myth: There is limited blood in the body and it is unhealthy to give some away.

Fact: Only about 470ml of blood is taken during a donation session. There is enough blood in the body to donate it without experiencing any ill effects. The body makes new blood after donation. 

Myth: Age is a deterrent to blood donation.

Fact: Anyone above 18 up to the age of 60 who is fit and healthy can give blood.

Myth: Heavy people are healthier and have more blood to give.

Fact: Being overweight makes people less healthy. Overweight people do not have more blood.

Myth: Health deteriorates after donating blood.

Fact: If you are healthy prior to donation, your recovery is complete in a day or two. It is advised to rest a while after donating. Drinking enough liquids replaces the lost fluid within a couple of hours. The body produces new cells faster after a donation. All the RBCs are replaced within 3-4 days and WBCs within 3 weeks.

Myth: you cannot take part in sports or other physical activities after donating blood.

Fact: Giving blood does not interfere with ability to perform physically. Advice to avoid heavy lifting or strenuous workouts for the rest of the day is given after the donation. You can get back on track the next day.

Myth: Taking medication means that one cannot be a blood donor.

Fact: Depending on the medication being taken, it may halt donation for a period, though in many cases it won't prevent a donation. The person in charge or the nursing staff should be informed before donating.

Myth: When there is a requirement, blood can be manufactured.

Fact: Blood is not something that can be manufactured. It can only come from healthy human beings.

Myth: Blood donation can tell if one is HIV positive.

Fact: HIV antibodies can take months to develop after infection with the virus. Those recently infected may have a negative test result and yet be able to infect others. It is better not to donate blood if at risk of getting HIV or other infections.

·      The Kansas University Medical Center found that men who participate in blood donation experience 30% fewer incidents of heart disease and stroke compared to people who did not. ·      In 1998 the American Journal of Epidemiology published that blood donation can reduce the overall iron levels in your blood which may protect against heart attack. ·      Blood donation forces your body to replace the lost cells with fresh blood cells. ·      Men do not have menstrual periods, so they store iron in their bodies which is usually more than what is needed. ·      A healthy body replaces blood within 48 hours and creates new RBC’s within a week.

 

Its better to start late than never.Here is a link which I found could be useful to begin with
http://www.indianblooddonors.com/

I don't know how much this post was able to inspire someone but if at least one person starts to donate blood due to this I would be happy...Remember we are the youth we have to take our country forward we can't allow ourselves to run away from our social commitments.We have got only one life life and its we through our actions who have to make it worthwhile.