As a younger man, donating blood seemed an arduous and excessive procedure for one to endure just for some milk and cookies—after all, merely helping Mom with laundry usually rewarded equal treasures. But as I grew older, I discovered—unfortunately—that things are often more complicated then just milk and cookies. To put a fine point on it: The imminent and ever-present threat of diseases and disasters facilitate the overwhelming need for conscientious blood donors.
Regrettably, to ensure the safety of donors and blood recipients, not everyone can donate blood. Being over 17 years of age, 110 pounds, and in “good health,” are the first prerequisites of blood donation. “Good health” refers to people without diseases or afflictions, or those who maintain control over their debilitating condition (example: people who can control their diabetes may still donate blood).
Additionally, a person cannot donate blood till 56 days after their last donation—this is to allow a person’s red blood cell count to fully replenish. And tattooed individuals must wait a year after going under the pen before donating blood. Cleared of these restrictions, potential donors are then screened in questionnaire form. Blood donating organizations ask confidential questions about a donor’s lifestyle—for instance: recent drug use or travel habits—since certain risky practices eliminate potential donors.
After the screening process, attendants attend to the nuts and bolts of blood donation—checking blood pressure, red blood cell count, temperature, and pulse. After passing these tests with flying colors, prospective donors are comfortably seated while a needle is (ahem) gently threaded into a promising vein. Ten minutes later, one emerges as an official blood donor to a warm reception of, yes, cookies and milk.
All in all, about one pint of blood is purloined from willing donors—whose bodies generally replace the fluid in 24 hours, although your red blood cell count needs 6 weeks to fully replenish. Blood donation organizations typically encourage potential participants to drink plenty of water, both before, and after donating blood.
After donors enjoy their complimentary refreshments, attendants must evaluate the given blood for communicable disease (HIV and Hepatitis, most especially) through nucleic acid tests. Donated blood must also be typed before being distributed to hospitals across the nation—where, statistics indicate, a patient needs blood approximately every two seconds.
Another blood donating option is platelet apheresis—a process by which platelets (used for blood clotting) are separated from a donors bloodstream through centrifugation. Before platelet apheresis, 5 to 10 donors were needed to gather enough platelets per patient; now, however, filtering out platelets from a donor’s blood through centrifugation alters the ratio to 1:1.
Platelet donations are desperately needed for bone-marrow transplant patients, people undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatment, and organ transplant patients. Platelet apheresis allows for donors to give only platelets—since the other three blood components (red blood cells, white blood cells, and plasma) are reinserted back into your bloodstream. Another plus: Potential blood donors can undergo platelet apheresis as quickly as 48 hours after a previous donation.
To donate blood is to save lives. Unfortunately, only 5% of Americans habitually practice this simple aphorism. For more details, visit www.givelife.org or call 1-800-GIVE LIFE. And remember, it’s only going to hurt a little.
By Jean-Pierre Lacrampe