Blood donation is a simple process that can save lives!
We need blood running through our veins to survive and it is needed by different hospitals in times of emergency. It's our responsibility to contribute with our blood in times of need. Many reasons move people to donate blood. And there are also advantages to blood donation. Would you get motivated to donate blood?
What is blood donation?
Blood donation is a common practice all over the world. It is done to help save lives. Blood donation is the process of taking blood from one person to store it in a blood bank for when it is needed.
The main reason for blood donation is to help someone who has lost a lot of blood due to an injury or surgery. Blood also helps people with diseases like sickle cell anemia, Hodgkin's disease, and AIDS.
Donated blood can be divided into eight types: type O+, O-, type A+ and A-, type B+ and B- or type AB+ and AB-. Blood banks often maintain a donor card, where a person registers his or her willingness to donate blood and is asked to provide contact information so that they can be notified when a blood donation is needed.
Blood is most commonly donated as whole blood (WB), but it can also be donated as platelets (PB) or plasma (P). Whole blood is made up of red cells, white cells, platelets, and plasma. Platelets are a small part of whole blood that helps stop bleeding when it occurs because they clump together at the site of injury and form plugs over it. Plasma is the clear liquid portion of the blood.
What is the blood donation process?
Blood donation consists of three main components. It is a simple process that takes about an hour to complete. The process is similar to giving blood in a doctor’s office or a laboratory, except the donor does it at a blood center or mobile blood drive location.
First, you need to have a complete check-up at your local Red Cross office or hospital. You may also be asked to fill out a medical history and other forms.
Then, a nurse or technician will insert one needle into your arm and let it rest there until enough blood has been collected. The amount of blood drawn depends on your weight and how much you give in a year.
Finally, the needle will be removed and pressure will be applied to your wound for a few minutes. You may need to sit quietly for several minutes afterward while pressure continues to stop bleeding from the puncture site.
The whole process takes about an hour and you can leave after just 45 minutes if you're donating platelets or plasma only. It may take longer if you're giving whole blood because this involves more steps than just one tube of blood.
Advantages of Blood Donation
Blood donation has many advantages: 1- It helps save lives: Blood donation is one of the most common ways of saving lives because it helps people who are injured or have had surgery. The blood is used to replace lost blood and replace the blood that has been used during an operation. 2- It improves your overall health: Blood donation helps reduce stress, which can lead to many health problems (such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke) when you donate blood regularly. 3- You feel good about yourself: You can feel proud when you donate blood because you know that you are helping someone else by doing this act of kindness. Be a hero, be a donor!
4- You can earn money for yourself by donating blood three times per year at your local Red Cross center if you qualify as a volunteer donor! The amount varies depending on location, but can range between $40-$100 per visit!
5- Giving blood helps you live longer! Researchers at the University of Minnesota found that people who give blood at least once a year were less likely to die from heart attacks or strokes than those who never donated. People who gave more than once per year were even more protected from these conditions, with an 11% lower death rate compared with non-donors over a 10-year period!
6- You will have a general health check-up without having to pay a cent, which can help to discover medical conditions that you did not know you had.
7- Your body will have to burn around 500 to 650 calories to replace the donated blood. Not a way to lose weight, since you cannot donate blood every day.
8- You can lower your risk of cancer because when you donate blood you are reducing the iron stores which have been associated with the formation of free radicals that cause cancer.
9- It can serve as a treatment if you suffer from hemochromatosis (excessive levels of iron in the blood).
10- Blood donation helps to replace the inventory of the blood banks and reduces the blood shortage that many places have.
As you can see, there are many good reasons to donate blood. For some people, the reason is altruistic while for others is due to monetary compensation, or as part of their medical treatment.
To sum up, blood donation is the process of donating your blood to a blood bank. It consists of several steps and it doesn’t take too long. Blood donation can serve people in need, like those who have lost excessive blood, or people with diseases like sickle cell anemia, AIDS, or Hodgkin’s disease. The benefits of donating blood go from doing something good for the community to helping a friend or family member in need. Other benefits are the monetary compensation, the risk reduction of getting cancer, and the reduction in the risk of having a heart attack. Therefore, donating blood can help others but you also can get its benefits. So, if you have donated blood before, a big hearty thank you on my part. And if you are not decided yet, think about it. No one knows who will be the next one in need of blood.
If you liked this post, please leave a comment below, and share it with friends and family. Blood is always needed.
And as always, follow a healthy lifestyle and come back to the next topic.
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