Tag Give Blood

Good to the Last Drip

Michael 3 Comments

As we near the end of 2018, it’s time for a suggestion, not quite a resolution, more of a public service announcement-esque post, and one not even having to do with kidneys, but still about donors. Sort of. I can’t speak for your areas but around here people needing organs have been taking their requests to hockey games. Every couple of games somebody is holding a sign ‘Need a Kidney! Call…” and it gets picked up on that game’s TV feed, the nightly news, and every social media platform out there. And quite often the following morning news will report the searcher received tens or hundreds or even thousands of calls from people wanting to donate.

If one of those good Samaritans should qualify that leaves tens or hundreds or even thousands less one person left presumably still wanting to donate something. I have a suggestion for them. Blood. Yes, give blood.

January is National Blood Donor month. (If you’re curious, World Blood Donor Day isn’t until June. June 14th actually.) (As usual, no I don’t know why. It just is, but that’s okay. We can work with that. Just wait.) Did you know that like potential kidney donors, not everybody qualifies as a blood donor? The American Red Cross estimates that only 38% of Americans can donate blood. Unfortunately they also estimate that only 10% of Americans actually do donate blood. And giving blood is easy. (Easier than giving a kidney, in case you’re one of those people who called in paragraph 1.)

Let’s play a math game. About 36,000 units of red blood cells and 7,000 units of platelets are used each day in U. S. hospitals. Thirty eight percent of the American populace (if you figure roughly 330 million people in the USA) is about 125,000,000. A donor can give blood every 2 weeks. In 14 days red blood cell use hits roughly 575,000 units. That’s plenty of available supply to meet the demand. So why do we have blood shortages?

First go back to the 10% if the population who actually do give blood. Second, many of those give blood only once a year maybe at a work, school, or church blood drive. Some not even that often. It’s estimated there are about 16 million donations a year to satisfy a need of 15 million units. That’s not much margin for error.

BloodI’m not going to suggest you give blood every 2 weeks. But I will suggest you find a donation center somewhere close to you next month and celebrate National Blood Donor Month by joining those who give at least once a year. Then around June 14 you can celebrate World Blood Donor Day and double your output. And just so the second and fourth quarters don’t feel left out, donate another pint sometime in April and October. You’ll feel good about yourself, you’ll get a mini physical 4 times a year, studies suggest you’ll reduce your chance of having a heart attack, and you’ll get a cookie when you’re done. That’s way better than resolving to think about doing something useful.

 

 

Give Till It Doesn’t Hurt

Michael 6 Comments

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday. I would hope that enough people are mature enough to be able to donate time, talent, and/or money to worthy causes without a special day to remind us to donate to worthy causes. But if you aren’t and you do, then somebody can benefit from your generosity at least once a year. (That’s the generic you, not the you who is reading this.) (Surely.)

It’s odd they would stick such an altruistic day right after the excesses of Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Small Saturday, and Cyber Monday. Then again, maybe it is the perfect day for it. Any change you have left isn’t enough to do you any good so you might as well give it away.

GTHeartIf you are a little strapped either from the holiday excess or just because you’re a little strapped, I have some giving ideas that aren’t economically painful.

Remember those homeless people you wanted to help by volunteering at the shelters with Thanksgiving dinner? They are still hungry and most of those shelters don’t have so many volunteers they can turn away an extra hand on a not so random Tuesday.

For almost every Christian sect in the world, Advent begins this weekend. Churches and chapels are decorating their spaces for Christmas this week. I never met a church with enough hands that they would turn away an extra pair not tied up at the homeless shelter serving lunch. Most of those churches can use help throughout the year also, so while you’re there ask about those needs also.

Are you still fighting leftovers? While you’re rummaging through your recipe files for yet another way to prepare a turkey casserole, pull one out for something you can make to bring to your local fire station, emergency medical service, police or sheriff department. They made a choice to give back to their communities for a lifetime. You can choose to give to them for a day. (Pick something fresh and leave the leftovers to the kids.)

Hospitals, nursing homes, health centers, schools, day cares, libraries, Meals on Wheels, senior agencies, and other assorted services want help over the entire year. Make Giving Tuesday your start date to apply to volunteer on a regular basis to a worthy cause.

And finally, if you still want to give back and really can’t spare more than about an hour, donate blood. You’ll even get a cookie when you’re done. You can give and get all at the same time!