Shea’s Health Corner: Blood Donation

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Blood donation is one of the key things we as humans can do for one another. Blood donation saves lives, allows us to live our lives to the fullest, and helps to make dreams into reality. Without it, we wouldn’t be able to save the millions of people we do each year.

According to the American Red Cross, while approximately 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, only about 10 percent of those eligible actually donate. The demand for donated blood in our nation’s hospitals, however, is consistently high. In fact, it is estimated that roughly 40,000 pints of life-saving blood are used every single day, and the demand never stops.

Donations of blood are used for a variety of reasons, such as treating cancer, anemia in senior citizens, tragic blood loss due to an accident, and childbirth. When donating blood there is a process people have to follow. The donor must be over 110 pounds,  no tattoos/piercings within four months, no flu/cold symptoms, no recent treatments, and no infections treated with antibiotics. Also, with donating, you must register and have a mini physical which consists of checking your blood pressure, blood sugar, pulse, and temperature. You must be over the age of 18 to donate blood without parental consent, or over the age of 16 with parental consent.

After donating blood, you get free snacks and the piece of mind of knowing you just saved someone’s life. Saving a life is one of the most important things we can do in this world. Knowing your donations are helping others, whether it’s a relative, friend, or complete stranger is an amazing thing.

Listed below are places you can go to donate blood. Also, we encourage you to visit SVC’s American Red Cross blood drive this Wednesday October 17, 2018 from 9:30-2:30 in the Burgdorff Gallery.

Blood Donations sites:

  • Your local blood bank
  • American Red Cross
  • Blood Drives at Schools/Hospitals