SERVICE TO HUMANITY

In the wake of blood shortage in most blood blanks in the country, most of hospitals have been taking the initiative to collect blood to replenish the supply mainly from institutions. I happened to be a volunteer when they came to our institution about a month ago and was totally shocked at people’s reluctance to help save a life. Some gave the excuse of fear others that they’d have less blood and many more hilarious feedbacks. It took quite some convincing for a few to accept and help the keep the drive active but unfortunately we were not able to reach our target by the end of the week when the drive was off. This pushed me to do a bit of research on benefits of blood donation to boost my sensitization approach the next time the drive is on. 

A spider bite might not transform you into a superhero, but a small needle prick and a little of your time sure can. Yes, by donating blood you’ll be saving up to three human lives each time. Blood donation benefits more than just those who receive the blood. Donating blood is advantageous for the giver as well. Some of the personal and health benefits to the donor include:

a)      Free health screening

Every time you give blood, your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin level are checked. This way you get a regular checkup. In some health facilities when donors give blood they also receive a cholesterol test and a mini-physical that can catch certain illnesses in the early stages. Some even test for HIV, Syphilis, Hepatitis B as well as Hepatitis C.

b)      Boosts the production of red blood cells.

 Donation of blood reduces the number of red blood cells in the blood. The bone marrow immediately begins to replenish the lost cells. As a result, the blood of a donor is refreshed every time they donate because of the increased production of new blood cells.

c)      Reduces risk of heart diseases

Probably you did not know that you can reduce your risk of heart disease by donating blood. This one is quite a broad interesting subject. According to studies conducted, blood donors are 88% less likely to suffer a heart attack and 33% less likely to suffer any type of cardiovascular event. Why is that? Well, researchers aren’t 100% sure, but believe it may be due to either one of these two theories:

                 I.            The first theory is that blood donors must be considered “healthy” before they roll up their sleeve, so they are less likely to suffer heart disease because they are already in good health and probably have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels that non-blood donors.

               II.            The second theory is that iron has a significant impact on atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. When you give blood you are removing 225 to 250 milligrams of iron from your system, thus cutting your risk of heart disease.

Pre-menopausal women tend to have half of the amount of iron as men because they lose iron every month through menstruation. Coincidentally, they also suffer half as many heart attacks. However, once a woman goes through menopause her risk of heart attack increases, but donating blood can reduce that risk. In addition to depleting iron levels, when you donate blood you are given a free mini-physical and you are given results on your blood pressure as well as you cholesterol levels-two major risk factors when it comes to heart disease.

d)      Burns calories

One time blood donation helps you shed 650 Kcal. This can aid you in your body weight control measures i.e. keeping fit. However, blood can be donated safely once in three or four months and not more frequently. This will depend on your health status and your blood hemoglobin and iron levels.

e)      Reduces the risk of cancer.

High levels of iron have been implicated in cancer. Theoretically, donating blood frequently will reduce the risk of cancers as you loose iron in the process. More research is going on to find strong evidence on this one. However, the old myth that blood donations may lead to cancer is false. 
 f)   The joy of saving human life.

It is such a wonderful feeling being able to help doctors save human lives, especially when you understand that one hour of your time and one blood donation can make such a difference.There are no perfect substitutes for human blood. The blood you donate is divided into various components according to the needs of patients. Each component can be used by different recipients for various purposes. Many newborn babies may benefit from a single blood donor as their blood requirements are smaller. Every time you donate blood, you can help up to 3 or 4 individual recipients. So, if you want to pick up a healthy habit, head over to your local blood center (they are situated in each town in the country) and give the gift of life.

 Be a hero by donating blood.