I have been a blood donor for most of my life, having been blessed with large veins and no squeamishness around needles. It’s one of the easiest ways to give that might literally save another person’s life. Plus I love the free cookies and juice at the end.
Recently I got contacted by one of the New York blood banks notifying me that they need help finding donors during the summer months, which usually are subject to a smaller number of available donors and a resultant dip in the city’s blood supply. The blood bank suggested that people organize a blood donation day at their work, church or community center.
The answer I got from nearly everyone in our 50-person office was the same: "I’d love to give but…." i.e.
- I’d love to give, but I just returned from [insert name of developing world country here]
- I’d love to give, but I’m not a US citizen
- I’d love to give, but I am getting a tattoo this weekend
- I’d love to give, but I had malaria once from backpacking in the rain forest
Ironically, I realized that I myself can not give because I was recently diagnosed as anemic.
So while I felt bad that Global Kids was not likely to be able to
organize its own blood drive, I was again impressed by how
multi-cultural, well-traveled, and cool the people that I work with are.
[Image by Viewmaker, posted to Flickr as cc-licensed image]
At least your office has legitimate reasons for not donating.
It’s one thing to have medical reasons or fall outside the accepted parameters set-up for safety. It’s another thing to have someone say they just don’t have the time (because they might miss that awesome TV show!) or are a little squeemish around needles (which is different than a really phobia of needles).
I started giving blood when I was 16 and gave fairly faithfully every 3-6 months until I became ineligible when I was 20 due to a tattoo.
I’m now ineligible due to tattoos and being gay-adjacent (I’ve had sex with a man who’s had sex with another man). The tattoos have statues of limitations (a year, I believe), but being gay disqualifies you for life, as the current regulations are written.
You’re anemic now?? Oh, no!!
Not a big deal. But it does sound cool. I have “Thalasemia Minor”! Which sounds like a constellation, not a disorder. But nothing serious.
That’s my arm in that picture…and I have donated over 12 gallons of blood products. In that picture I am donating platelets (usually used by cancer patients following a round of chemo or radiation). Regrettably, I, too, will soon be under a permanent “deferral” for living outside the U.S. for a cumulative 5 years. A mere visit to Africa is a one-year deferral. It’s a real problem for the blood supply. It will have to become less safe to meet demand. We need to encourage more people to give.
Donating platelets is about a 2-hour process…but it’s some of my most productive time as I can return phone calls and tackle minor tasks without anyone interrupting me. And, if I don’t want to be productive, platelet donors in most locations have a TV at their bed and can pop in a DVD. My donation center even has Wi-Fi. Plus, because your red blood cells aren’t taken you feel as strong and energetic as when you walked in…except that you’ve just helped save a life so there should be no surprise if you walk out with a little extra spring in your step!
thanks for sharing this info, Jim. Yeah, give platelets, folks!