Right now, only 3 out of 100 people in America donate blood. If you’re one of those 3, good for you! If you’re not and are thinking of some excuse as to why you can’t, here’s all that is required of you (according to http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements):
Blood Donors Must:
• Be healthy*
• Be at least 17 years old in most states, or 16 years old with parental consent if allowed by state law – see more information for 16-year old donors »
• Weigh at least 110 lbs.
Additional weight requirements apply for donors 18 years old and younger and all high school donors.
*Note: Healthy means that you feel well and can perform normal activities. If you have a chronic condition such as diabetes, healthy also means that you are being treated and the condition is under control.
I’m hoping that these requirements include more people than they exclude. And I know a lot of people say they are afraid of needles and don’t like being in any type of medical environment, but let me assure you: The more you are around needles and in medical situations, the more you get used to it. And with all the ways you can me probed, prodded, pinched, and poked, a needle in the arm is really no big deal (I think I have the medical resume to back this up).
If you don’t have a free hour (that’s how long a typical donation appointment lasts) in your schedule, I really feel bad for you. Your life must be very hectic and you must feel stressed all the time. If you’re just lying to yourself and you definitely could find a free hour to donate blood (and you enjoy helping people), here’s where you go to get the info to set up an appointment: http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation
I got this shirt at Blood Drive Red Cross had at Fenway Park this past September 11th. I walked inside Fenway without paying for it, got this t-shirt along with a bag full of other Sox stuff, ate as many Fenway Franks as I wanted, and was in a room full of nurses (see more on that here: http://davestshirts.blogspot.com/2010/05/t-shirt-126-i-love-nurses.html). Oh yeah, there were also dudes dressed up as Star Wars characters walking about!
Red Cross is running a similar blood drive at Gilette Stadium this November 13th from 8:00AM to 3:00PM. If you are interested in this event, you can find more info here: http://www.redcrossblood.org/events/ma/bobs-high-school-heroes-blood-drive
When I had cancer, I received red blood cell and platelet transfusions after each round of chemo destroyed my cancerous and healthy cells. Some of these donations were made to me specifically by people that knew me (you know who you are, thank you!), but most of them were made by people I didn’t even know (thank you, too!). So because you are reading this, it means you know at least one person who has had blood donations help him survive a deadly disease. If you know more people than me who have benefited from blood or platelet transfusions, what are you waiting for? Stop reading this, and click this link again: http://www.redcrossblood.org/make-donation
Donate Blood! And, thanks for reading!
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