Donating blood needed more than ever

BLOOD: More important than ever with the raging snowstorms in the East and the nation being swamped with the flu bug.

The number one reason donors state they wish to give blood is to help others; number one reason potential donors don’t wish to give blood is they ‘don’t like needles’. Really? Have you had your flu shot? Pneumonia shot? They are administered by needles. No matter, American Red Cross appreciates everyone who tries and more so, every successful donor.

You have an average of 10 pints of blood in your system, and only donate one pint which is ‘rebuild’ through hydration and nutrition. You may donate every 56 days and each time you are saving lives, sometimes up to three lives.

The four types of transfusable blood is red cells, platelets, plasma, and cryoprecipitate. Two or three of these are produced from a donated pint of whole blood.

Most donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days of collection; whereas donated platelets must be used within 5 days of collections so new donations are in constant demand.

Still uncertain about the importance of donating blood?

Consider these important facts:

• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood

• More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day

• A total of 30 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.

• The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints

• The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O

• The blood used in an emergency is already on the shelves before the event occurs

• Sickle cell disease affects more than 70,000 people in the U.S. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year. Sickle cell patients can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives

• More than 1.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer in 2014. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment

• A single car accident can require as many as 100 pints of blood

Still uncertain?

• The number of blood donations collected in the U.S. in a year: 15.7 million

• The number of blood donors in the U.S. in a year: 9.2 million

• Although an estimated 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, less that 10% actually do each year

• Blood cannot be manufactured-it can only come from generous donors

• Type O-Negative blood, (red cells) can be transfused to patients of all blood types. Always in great demand and often in short supply

• Type AB-positive plasma can be transfused to patients of all other blood types. AB plasma is also usually in short supply.

Please, mark Thursday, February 19, 11:30-5:30 and/or call 800-RED CROSS for an appointment, on your calendar and come to the Malta Lutheran Church to donate a pint of blood and give one of the greatest gifts of humanity.

All information supplied by the American Red Cross.

Sharon Kindle

Malta