Today’s OTT may seem like a cop out because I’m not actually allowed to give blood myself. That’s because I used to live in the UK. Remember Mad Cow Disease? Yeah, that. No jokes please!
In the absence of a screening test for vCJD (the human form of the disease) the Australian Red Cross Blood Service won’t let us Poms donate. It’s frustrating, as I used to regularly in the UK. So I thought perhaps sharing the message with thousands of you guys could be my way of helping the cause.
The facts speak for themselves really. Currently only 1 in 30 people give blood, but 1 in 3 people will need blood in their lifetime. Doesn’t add up does it? Thanks to modern processing techniques however, they make the absolute most of whatever is donated. A single blood donation, when separated into its components, can help at least 3 different patients and contribute to making up to 22 different products (including potentially life-saving immunisations for chicken pox, hepatitis B and tetanus).
So, if you who don’t have the spare cash to help charities, for example, you can help potentially save lives and it won’t cost you a cent. And let’s not forget we never know when one of us might need blood ourselves. Imagine if it wasn’t available. That is all. Everything you need to know is here.
Do you give blood? Have you ever needed blood?
One reply on “Off Topic Tuesday: Give Blood, Save Lives”
Great post, I have donated blood for the last 10+ years, now I donate plasma as much as I can. It’s the least I can all do as you never know when you or loved ones might need it.