Is blood something we take for granted? It flows through our
body without any thought, and most of the time when we fall and get hurt we
don’t worry about needing blood to replenish our system. If something tragic happens and blood is
needed, it seems as though there is an endless source available at any local
hospital.
But is it?
In the United States only volunteers are able to donate
blood products for those in need of transfusions. The Federal DrugAdministration (FDA) prohibits blood banks who transfuse blood into patients
from rewarding donors will anything of monetary value or anything that is
considered hard to get such as concert tickets to a sold out venue. They’ve deemed these rewards as being too
high in value which may cause donors to lie about their eligibility as a donor.
Therefore, blood donor centers must rely on the generosity of volunteers and
often we try and show our appreciation with drawings or gift cards.
While there are some volunteers, these statistics may alarm
you. Approximately 38% of the population
is eligible donate blood. Yet of that
38% percent only 5% will actually donate blood. So it’s not an endless
resource, it is one that blood banks struggle year round to collect from the
general population.
On Friday, June 14th, the World HealthOrganization (WHO) will Celebrate World Blood Donor Day. This year’s theme is “Safe Blood for Saving
Mothers.” The organization’s goal is to
bring awareness around the world that everyday about 800 women die from
childbirth or pregnancy related complications.
Timely access to safe blood is very important. Luckily, in the United States, there is a
better handle on having safe blood readily available than in other parts of the
world.
Samantha Robbins, a South Bend resident, knows all too well
the importance of having safe blood on hand during unexpected times of need. On
October 26, 2011, she gave birth at Saint Joseph Regional Hospital to her son,
Ashton. Several years prior, she had
another little boy, Austin, without any problems. As a young, 22-year-old mother, she was
healthy, in good shape and anxiously awaiting meeting her second son.
But this wasn’t any ordinary delivery. Samantha, now a CNA at Saint Joseph RegionalMedical Center, began losing blood quickly while delivering Ashton. She was transfused with six lifesaving units
of blood. Her mother, Cristie Carter,
recalled that while being in the delivery room she wasn’t sure about the status
of her daughter. Her color had turned a bluish-gray and while everyone was
worrying about the stress the delivery was having on the baby, Cristie was
worried about her daughter.
It was that day that Cristie realized how important blood
donations were to others. She’s made an effort to donate blood since then so
that others have the available units they need to survive.
Today, Samantha has fully recovered and Ashton is a thriving
two-year-old. There’s no doubt that when
Austin gets a little older, he’ll be thankful for the six people who walked
into The Medical Foundation to donate blood so that he and his brother could be
raised by their mother.
While days like World Blood Donor Day are important to
celebrate, it’s important to remember to donate blood all year long. Blood donors are eligible to donate a unit of
blood every 56 days and blood products such as platelets every two weeks.
Visit www.GiveBloodNow.com
to learn more about the blood donation process, our hours and locations or to
make an appointment.
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