priramjai

Why donate blood?


Blood is the living fluid that all life is based on. Blood is composed of 60% liquid part and 40% solid part. The liquid part called Plasma, made up of 90% water and 10% nutrients, hormones, etc. is easily replenished by food, medicines, etc. But the solid part that contains RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells) and Platelets take valuable time to be replaced if lost.
This is where you come in. The time taken by a patient?s body to replace it could cost his/her life. Sometimes the body might not be in a condition to replace it at all.
As you know blood cannot be harvested it can only be donated. This means only you can save a life that needs blood.
Every year India requires 40 million units of 250cc blood out of which only a meager 500,000 of blood units are available. Saving a life does not require heroic deeds. You could just do it with a small thought and an even smaller effort for saying "yes".


Who needs blood?
Every 2 seconds someone needs blood. Your blood helps more than one life at a time. Accidents, premature babies, major surgeries require Whole blood, where your blood after testing is used directly. Trauma, Anemia, other surgeries requires only RBC, which is separated from your blood. The procedure of splitting blood components is called Cytapheresis. Similarly Platelets are used for Cancer patients undergoing Chemotherapy, Dengue fever, etc. Fresh frozen plasma is used for patients having massive Transfusions, Plasma is used for Burns and Cryoprecipitate is used for Hemophilia.
When is blood needed?
Blood is needed at regular intervals and at all times as it has only a finite time to store. Red blood cells can be stored for about 42 days, Fresh Frozen Plasma and Cryoprecipitate for a year and platelets for 5 days. Who can donate blood?
Anyone above 18 years weighing more than 50kgs (110 lbs) can donate blood. At the time of donation, you should not be suffering from fever or had consumed alcohol 48 hours before or smoked during that day.
Tips on Blood DonatingPlease have a good meal at least 3 hours before donating blood. Please accept the snacks offered to you after the donation, it is vital you have them. You are recommended to have a good meal later.Please avoid smoking on the day before donating. You can smoke 3 hours after donation.You will not be eligible to donate blood if you have consumed alcohol 48 hours before donation.
Misconception about Donating Blood

You wont feel drained or tired if you continue to drink fluids and have a good meal. You can resume your normal activities after donating blood, though you are asked to refrain from exercise or heavy weight lifting for twelve hours after donation.Donating blood will not leave you low of blood; in fact you will still have surplus blood after the donation.If you choose to consume alcohol, you can on the next day.While donating blood you will not feel any pain.You will not faint or feel uncomfortable after donating blood. This is a common misconception.You will not get AIDS if you donate blood.Patients are just like donors - most of them have common blood types. Because your blood type is common, the demand for that type is greater than for rare types. So, even if your blood type is common there is still a requirement.Blood donors donate blood and do not sell it.
Blood facts
Blood fights against infection and helps heal wounds, keeping you healthy.Blood makes up about 7% of your body's weight.A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in his or her body.White blood cells are the body's primary defense against infection.Granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, roll along blood vessel walls to search and destroy bacteria.Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body?s organs and tissue.There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.Apheresis is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as platelets.If all blood donors gave 2 to 4 times a year, it would help prevent all blood shortages.The fear of Blood is called Hemophobia or Hematophobia. Common symptoms of this fear are nausea, fear of dying, sweating, dry mouth, etc. It only takes a realization to overcome it.
With regards,
Priramjai