You don’t need a special reason to give blood.
You just need your own reason.
Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend. Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day.
Some believe it is the right thing we do. Whatever your reason, the need is constant and your contribution is important for a healthy and reliable blood supply. And you’ll feel good knowing you’ve helped change a life.
One of the other benefits is that every time you donate blood you will receive a mini physical to check your:
Pulse-Blood pressure-Body temperature-Hemoglobin. Healthy individuals who qualify are eligible to give blood once every 56 days.
Below we’ve given you one fact for each of those days to give you the answers to some of the questions you may have about donation, some interesting facts and some information to reinforce the reasons why you should consider making what, to many people, is a life saving contribution.
56 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW
ABOUT BLOOD DONATION
1. 4.5 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions.
2. Approximately 32,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States.
3. Every three seconds someone needs blood.
4. One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood
5. Just one pint of donated blood can help save as many as three people’s lives.
6. The average adult has 10 pints of blood in his or her body.
7. One unit of blood is roughly the equivalent of one pint
8. Blood makes up about 7% of your body’s weight
9. A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in his or her body.
10. The average red blood cell transfusion is 3.4 pints
11. Blood fights against infection and help heal wounds, keeping you healthy.
12. There are four main blood types: A, B, AB, and O. AB is the universal recipient and O negative is the universal donor.
13. Blood centers often run short of type O and B blood.
14. Shortages of all types of blood occur during the summer and winter holidays.
15. If all blood donors gave 2 to 4 times a year, it would help prevent blood shortages.
16. If you began donating blood at age 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached 76, you would have donated 48 gallons of blood.
17. About three gallons of blood supports the entire nation’s blood needs for one minute
18. Blood donation takes four steps: medical history, quick physical, donation, and snacks.
19. The actual blood donation usually takes less than 10 minutes. The entire process, from when you sign in to the time you leave, takes about 45 minutes.
20. Giving blood will not decrease your strength.
21. You cannot get AIDS or any other infectious disease by donating blood.
22. Fourteen tests, 11 of which are for infectious diseases, are performed on each unit of donated blood.
23. Any company, community organization, place of worship or individual may contact their local community blood center to host a blood drive.
24. People donate blood out of a sense of duty and community spirit, not to make money. They are not paid for their donation.
25. Much of today’s medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from health donors.
26. One unit of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets, and cryoprecipitate).
27. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body’s organs and tissue.
28. There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.
29. Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.
30. Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
31. Apheresis is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets.
32. Donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days of collection.
33. Donated platelets must be used within five days of collection.
34. Plasma can be frozen and used for up to a year.
35. Plasma is a pale yellow mixture of water, proteins, and salts.
36. Plasma, which is 90% water, constitutes 55% of blood volume.
37. Healthy bone marrow makes a constant supply of red cells, plasma and platelets.
38. People who have been in car accidents and suffered massive blood loss can need transfusions of 50 pints or more of red blood cells.
39. The average bone marrow transplant requires 120 units of platelets and about 20 units of red blood cells. Patients undergoing bone marrow transplants need platelets donations from about 120 people and red blood cells from about 20 people.
40. Severe burn victims can need 20 units of platelets during their treatment.
41. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and platelets from donors of all types.
42. Anemic patients need blood transfusions to increase their iron levels.
43. Cancer, transplant and trauma patients and patients undergoing open-heart surgery require platelet transfusions to survive.
44. Sickle cell disease is an inherited disease that affect more than 80,000 people in the United States, 98% of whom are of African descent. Some patients with complications from severe sickle cell disease receive blood transfusions every month – up to 4 pints at a time.
45. In the days following the September 11th attacks, a half a million people donated blood.
46. Females receive 53% of blood transfused; males receive 47%.
47. 94% of all blood donors are registered voters.
48. 60% of the US population is eligible to donate – only 5% do on a yearly basis.
49. 17% of non-donors cite “never thought about it” as the main reason for not giving, while 15% say they’re “too busy”. The #1 reason donors say they give is because they “want to help others”
50. After donating blood, you replace these red blood cells within 3 to 4 weeks. It takes eight weeks to restore the iron lost after donating.
51. Granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, roll along blood vessel walls in search of bacteria to eat.
52. White cells are the body’s primary defense against infection.
53. There is no substitute for human blood.
54. It’s about Life.
55. Since a pint is a pound, you lose a pound every time you donate blood.
56. Anyone who is in good health, is at least 16 years old, and weighs at least 110 pounds may donate blood every 56 days.
A BASIC BLOOD PRIMER
· Blood makes up around 7% of the weight of a human body.
· Blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets.
· These blood cells float in a yellow liquid called blood plasma. Blood plasma is made up of 90% water and also contains various nutrients, electrolytes, gases, proteins, glucose and hormones.
· Blood plasma can be separated from the cells by spinning blood in a device known as a centrifuge until the cells collect at the bottom of the tube.
· Red blood cells have the important job of carrying oxygen around the body. They also contain a protein called hemoglobin. Hemoglobin contains iron which combines with oxygen to give hemoglobin and our blood, a red color.
· Red blood cells develop in bone marrow and circulate in the body for around 120 days.
· White blood cells are an important part of the body’s immune system. They defend against certain bacteria, viruses, cancer cells, infectious diseases and other unwanted materials.
· Platelets help blood clot in order to limit bleeding when your skin is cut. Blood clots can occasionally have negative effects, if they form in blood vessels going to the brain they can cause a stroke while clotting in a blood vessel going to the heart can lead to a heart attack.
· As well as delivering important substances to our cells, blood also helps take away unwanted waste products.
· Grouping human blood types can be a difficult process and there are currently around 30 recognized blood types (or blood groups). You might be familiar with the more simplified “ABO” system which categorizes blood types under O, A, B and AB. Do you know which blood type you are?
· One of the principal signs of life for humans is blood pressure, this is the measure of pressure that circulating blood has on the walls of blood vessels. Blood pressure is usually taken from a person’s upper arm. Although averages vary from person to person, a general human being is known to have a normal blood pressure of around 112/64 mmHg. High blood pressure can increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack.
