A few years back, on a boring night shift at GE, someone sent a unanimous mail saying that a guy met with an accident and they need blood immediately. He had major injuries and needed to be operated. I had called my parents to ask if I have to go to donate blood. My dad said YES and my mom said NO. Though not much educated, my mom is one of the smartest woman I had seen in my life, she didn't mean that I shouldn't donate blood...but, she is scared to death by injections and as I am the only child, she can't see me in pain, she says NO reluctantly to a few things. It became a family Mahabharat over phone and the result was hanging phone over each other.
Finally, a while later I had decided to go. I had approached the hospital, the doctor had taken me to the room, they started taking my blood. In less than 5 minutes, a nurse walked in with the news that the guy is no more. I walked out of the room to console his family. He had two small kids, the elder - 2 years, the younger - 3 months, the kid kept crying daddy ki emaindi (What happend to Dad?) ... I was speechless, as I cried equally with them.
LIFE... Natures biggest gift. The biggest boon for any human being is the ability of saving a life by donating blood... I learnt, for few things, time shouldn't be wasted as time wasted is time lost.
The culprit for the whole thing is the thought of a very slight pain at time of needle puncture.
Many hospitals and medical centers are always having a shortage of blood due to a lack of donors which often results in delayed surgeries and treatment, which can lead to complications and even death in patients. Just as you would want aid from others in times of emergency, it is important that we help to save the lives of others as well.
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DID YOU KNOW???
* Every two seconds, someone needs blood. One blood donation could save three lives.
* More than 1 million blood donations are needed every day. One out of every 10 people admitted in a hospital needs blood.
* Total blood transfusions in an year is 50 million. The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O.
* Sickle cell patients can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives. More than 10 million new people are diagnosed with cancer each year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.
* A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood.
* A small percentage of first time donors may feel a little dizzy while some may get tingling in the lips and nose and chills, but only for a short while.
* Blood is renewable by your body, and you can donate every 56 days. After that, your body will again reproduce the lost blood and that will replace your blood with new and fresh. It takes about 30-45 minutes of your day.
" The list of requirements is quite simple: must be 17 years of age, must weigh a minimum of 110lbs and be in generally good health. Individuals who have had any piercing other than ears cannot give for 12 months. If the ear piercings were professionally done, donation is allowed. You cannot donate within six months of a heart attack. If you have visited or vacationed in an area where malaria is endemic, you cannot donate blood until three years from the departure date. A woman must wait six months after having a child before donating. Anyone who has received a blood transfusion cannot give for 12 months."
