Donating Blood to Save a Life

Everyday someone depends on blood for life. Blood and its components maybe needed for surgery, for an accident victim, or for the treatment of leukemia, cancers, heart and liver diseases, and haemophilia.

The US Surgeon-General's report recommends people to donate blood if they are healthy, weigh over 50 kg and between 17 and 65 years old (or 60 for first-time donors). However, there are a number of restrictions. People who had a tattoo, body piercing or acupuncture done in the last 12 months may be declined for donation. According to theAmerican Red Cross, a person donates about one unit of blood, which is about 450 ml; while the total amounts of blood in an adult is about 5 liters.

A donor will be asked to complete donor consent from together with his professional health history. His pulse and blood pressure and a drop of blood will be taken to check if he is anaemic. Once approved, he can donate one unit of blood which is 10-12% of the amount of blood in an adult. A needle is inserted into a vein at the elbow and the blood is drawn for about 10-15 minutes. The needles used are sterile and discarded after a single use. After giving blood, the donor should relax for a further 10 minutes. He will be given something to eat and drink before leaving. His blood will then be tested for its blood group and certain infectious disease before it is used.

A donor is advised to avoid heavy muscular or strenuous activities for five hours after giving blood. He is also advised to drink plenty of fluids for the next 24 hours as it takes that long for the body to replace the blood volume or plasma, and about 4-8 weeks to replace the red cells. A donor can donate again after 12 weeks. According to the American Red Cross, for the blood donation criteria, donors are eligible to donate blood if: They are in good health, with age between 18 to 60 years, and their weight is above 45 kg. To ensure that there is no other complications after the blood donation process, donors must be free from any medical problems: e.g. high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, operation less than six months. Donors are advised to have more than five hours to sleep and have taken a light meal before donating blood.

For the safety reason, only donors who are not involved in any of the following activities: Homosexual relationship, bisexual relationship, multiple sexual partners, and drug abuse, are allowed to donate blood. Nonetheless, the interval between the last donations of whole blood should not be less than eight weeks and not less than two weeks for plasma or platelet donation. Finally, for female: You are not having your menses, pregnant, just delivered or breastfeeding.