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| Written by CG Girl |
| Friday, 09 October 2009 16:43 |
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DONATE YOUR BLOOD & MAKE A DIFFERENCE Here’s some important information and facts that all ChicaGirls should know about donating blood and making a difference! It’s NOT as scary as many of you think! What are the criteria for blood donation? To be eligible to donate blood, a person must generally be at least 17 years of age (although some states permit younger people to donate with parental consent); be in good health; and weigh at least 110 pounds. Most blood banks have no upper age limit. All donors must pass the physical and health history examinations given prior to donation. How much blood is donated each year? How much blood is transfused each year? Prospective donors must first complete a health history questionnaire and go through a screening process. During the screening process a technician will take important vital signs, such as blood pressure, temperature, and an iron check. If all the requirements are met, a unit of blood is drawn from the donor. Who Can Donate & How Often Anyone 17 years or older, who weighs at least 110 pounds, and is in good general health may donate. Identification is required before beginning the donation process. An eligible donor may donate whole blood every 8 weeks. Some health conditions or medications may temporarily or permanently prevent persons from donating blood. If you have any question as to whether or not you are eligible please call Donor Services at 731-5555. What Happens To Your Blood after Donation You could save as many as three lives with one single donation. Most donated blood is separated into different components: red cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate. Red cells are used for surgical patients while plasma is used in treatment of shock and burn patients. Platelets are vital to leukemia and other cancer patients whose own bone marrow does not produce enough platelets to help the blood clot properly. Who donates blood? Less than 5 percent of healthy Americans eligible to donate blood actually donate each year. According to studies, the average donor is a college-educated white male, between the ages of 30 and 50, who is married and has an above-average income. However, these statistics are changing, and women and minority groups are volunteering to donate in increasing numbers. While persons 65 years and older compose 13 percent of the population, they use 25 percent of all blood units transfused. Using current screening and donation procedures, a growing number of blood banks have found blood donation by seniors to be safe and practical. Nearly all blood used for transfusion in the United States is drawn from volunteer donors. The donor’s body replenishes the fluid lost from donation in 24 hours. It may take up to two months to replace the lost red blood cells. Whole blood can be donated once every eight weeks. MORE FACTS: -About 40,000 units of blood are used each day in the United States. One unit is equal to a pint. Need varies: It can take just six units of blood to survive a heart surgery, while a car crash victim may need 50 or more. -Every 2 seconds someone across America needs blood. Without blood from the community supply, many medical and surgical procedures would not be possible. The lives of accident victims, cancer, cardiac, and organ transplant patients would be lost. -Individuals may donate whole blood as often as every eight weeks and platelets as often as every 3 days. -Less than 10% of the eligible population donates blood. -The equipment used to collect blood is completely sterile and used only once before being discarded. What is the most common blood type? The approximate distribution of blood types in the U.S. population is as follows. Distribution may be different for specific racial and ethnic groups: O Rh-positive = 38 percent O Rh-negative=7 percent A Rh-positive = 34 percent A Rh-negative=6 percent B Rh-positive=9 percent B Rh-negative=2 percent AB Rh-positive=3 percent AB Rh-negative=1 percent In an emergency, anyone can receive type O red blood cells, and type AB individuals can receive red blood cells of any ABO type. Therefore, people with type O blood are known as “universal donors” and those with type AB blood are known as “universal recipients.” In addition, AB plasma donors can give to all blood types. When are blood donors needed most? While blood donors are needed throughout the year, they are most needed during holidays and in the summer. It is during these times that they number of donations declines while the demand continues or even increases. While a given individual may be unable to donate, they may be able to recruit a suitable donor. Relatives and friends of a patient requiring a blood transfusion may wish to help their loved one. Donating blood to replenish the units that were needed is one of the best gifts one can give. DONACIÓN DE SANGRE Tiene usted 45 minutos para salvar la vida de otra persona? Se necesitan 500 donantes de sangre cada día en el sur de Tejas para ayudar a los pacientes en los hospitales. Cada tres segundos alguien require una tranfusión de sangre, y uno de cada 20 tejanos tendrá la necesidad de sangre durante su vida. Por lástima, menos de 5% de la población eligible de donantes actualmente donan sangre. Hay una gran necesidad de que más personas sean donantes y que los donantes hagan donaciones con más frecuencia. El Proceso de Donación Los donantes posibles tienen que llenar un cuestionario de su salud y un proceso de exploración, durante lo cual, un técnico tomará los signos vitales como, la presión arterial, la temperatura, y el nivel de hemoglobina (hierro). Si cumple los requisitos, se puede donar. Quién Puede Donar y con cuál Frecuencia? Cualquier persona que tenga 17 años of más, que pese por lo mínimo de 110 libras y esté en buen estado de salud puede donar. Se requiere identificación con foto. Puede donar sangre entera cada 8 semanas. Ciertas condiciones médicas or medicinas pueden prevenir su donación en sólo este caso o quizás para siempre. Si tenga preguntas o dudas si pueda donar, llame al departamento de servicios de donantes al 731-5555. Lo Qué Pasa a la Sangre después de Donar Usted puede salvar hasta tres vidas con una donación. La donación será separada en varios components: glóbulos rojos, plasma, plaquetas. Se usa glóbulos rojos en cirujías, y plasma para pacientes con quemaduras severas. Las plaquetas son vitales para pacients con leucemia u otros canceres. www.southtexasblood.org |
