I'm donating blood for the first time ever next week......

by Soledad 15 Replies latest watchtower medical

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  Soledad

  CONTACT: Linda Levi OFFICE PHONE: 212-468-2001 CELL PHONE: 917-748-1175 LOCAL BLOOD EMERGENCY CONTINUES

  --More Donors and Blood Drives Critically Needed-- NEW YORK, NY, (JULY 17, 2005) - Blood donations still lag 25% behind what is required to adequately serve patients in close to 200 New York and New Jersey hospitals, forcing New York Blood Center, the majority blood supplier in the NY/NJ community, to issue its second emergency appeal for blood this summer. It falls shortly after the NYS Department of Health, the NJ Department of Health & Senior Services and NYS Senator Charles Schumer all issued appeals for blood. Anyone eligible to donate blood is being urged to call New York Blood Center at 1-800-933-BLOOD to schedule a donation appointment or asked to donate at their local hospital if it has a blood donor room. "We began rationing blood distribution in June," pointed out Dr. Robert Jones, New York Blood Center President & CEO. "Now we have grown even more concerned about our community's blood shortage and its potential for compromising health care here this summer." Reasons for the critical summer shortage include lower than average donor turnout, a preoccupation with summer vacations and the inability to collect blood at high school and college drives (which typically make up approximately 15% of the local community blood supply) in the summer months. "But that's no consolation for the 4 million Americans who rely on life-saving transfusions each year," explained Dr. Jones. Moreover, in times of heightened alerts, terrorism acts, building collapses and other unscheduled events, "it's the blood that's already on the shelf that will keep our community healthy and prepared," Dr. Jones concluded. The NY/NJ community alone needs 2,000 volunteer donations each day to ensure adequate blood products are available for local cancer and surgery patients, accident and trauma victims, newborn babies and many other patients in need. Blood donors of all types are needed. Blood donors must be at least 17, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds and be in generally good health. Donors must also meet all Food & Drug Administration and NY and NJ Departments of Health donor criteria.

  this is what drove me to do it. overall I think that anyone who can give blood really should, emergency or not.
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  LittleToe

  Here's some interesting bits of info about when the British Blood Service wont accept you for donation:

  • If you've had piercings, accupuncture or tattoos in the last six months
  • If you've received a blood transfusion since 1st Jan 1980
  • If an immediate family member has had CJD (human "mad cow" disease)
  • If you are a sexually active gay man
  • If you've had invasive dental work (i.e. more than just filings)
  • If you've visited a malarious country in the last 12 months
  • If youv've ever been outside the UK for longer than six months
  • If you've stayed in South America for longer than 4 weeks
  • If you weigh less that 50kg (110lb)

  The quarantine period for malarious countries used to be far longer, and used to exempt me. Seems they've revised it and I now qualify
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  Es

  Heheh thanks littetoe you basically answered my question, i have wanted to donate blood but i have both a piercing and a tattoo. But they are over 6 months old so does that mean i can now donate blood. I have recently agreed to donate my organs. es
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  Pole

  "If you are a sexually active gay man"
  That's interesting. So they're not bothered by political correctness? Or are the stats so overwhelming?
  Pole
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  LittleToe

  Es:
  My understanding is that six months after a tattoo, or ever an simple ear-piercing, the British blood service will let you donate.

  I understand it had something to do with the way the body reacts to being impaled, rather than just the risk of infection due to the insertion of sub-cutaneous needles. I'm happy to stand corrected on that, though.
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  blondie

  I called the Red Cross in the US and they confirmed what Little Toe said; that a person could qualify to donate again six months after having a tattoo or a piercing.

  Blondie