21. Donating Blood, 10/22/10

Thirteen years ago somebody I loved very much needed a blood transfusion. As a matter of fact, he received 12 units of blood. Until that time, I had never known anybody who had received a transfusion, and I never understood the importance of donating blood, the gift of life. Every minute of every day, someone needs blood. That blood can only come from a volunteer donor, a person like you or me who makes the choice to donate. After Joe died, I had decided that at some point I wanted to pay it forward and donate blood.
Here are some interesting statistics about the gift of life: Blood.

• More than 4.5 million patients need blood transfusions each year in the U.S. and Canada.
• Someone needs blood every 2 seconds.
• Only 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood – less than 10% do annually.
• One pint of blood can save up to 3 lives.
• Healthy adults who are at least 17 years old, and at least 110 pounds may donate about a pint of blood every 56 days, or every 2 months. Females receive 53% of blood transfusions; males receive 47%.
• AB is the universal recipient; O negative is the universal donor of red blood cells.
• Blood or plasma that comes from people who have been paid for it cannot be used for human transfusion.
• Cancer, transplant and trauma patients, and patients undergoing open-heart surgery may require platelet transfusions to survive.
• A patient could be forced to pass up a lifesaving organ, if compatible blood is not available to support the transplant.
• Thirteen tests (11 for infectious diseases) are performed on each unit of donated blood.
• 17% of non-donors cite "never thought about it" as the main reason for not giving, while 15% say they are too busy.
• The #1 reason blood donors say they give is because they "want to help others."
• Shortages of all blood types happen during the summer and winter holidays.
• Blood centers often run short of types O and B red blood cells.
• If all blood donors gave 3 times a year, blood shortages would be a rare event. (The current average is about 2.) If only one more percent of all Americans would give blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future.
• The actual blood donation usually takes about 10 minutes. The entire process - from the time you sign in to the time you leave - takes about an hour.
• After donating blood, you replace the fluid in hours and the red blood cells within 4 weeks. It takes 8 weeks to restore the iron lost after donating.
• You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
• Forty-two days: How long most donated red blood cells can be stored.
• Five days: How long most donated platelets can be stored.
• One year: How long frozen plasma can be stored.
• 46.5 gallons: The amount of blood you could donate if you begin at age 17 and donate every 56 days until you reach 79 years old.

When you make a blood donation, you join a very select group. Currently, only 3 out of every 100 people in America donate blood. Joe, this donation is in memory, in honor of you. While I may not be able to donate 46.5 gallons, it is my intention to pay it forward and at least give back 12 units of blood. Everybody who donates blood does if for very different and very personal reasons…I would challenge each of you reading this right now to dig deep inside, find what motivates you, and donate the gift of life: Blood. Thank you Maria for doing this with me.