Pint for Pint

[TheBrus]

Lads and Lasses,

I'm doing a bit of a PSA. My local Lions Club is hosting a blood drive, as we do three times annually, this Tuesday. I am in charge of calling past donors to ask them to come and give another pint. I also help to educate new donors about the benefits of donating blood and coming up with ways to get new donors to give. There is a great need for lifesaving blood and blood products. Most of us know someone who has used or will potentially need to use blood products. People would be surprised by who uses these blood products. Most think automatically of accident victims, and that's true. But many people with serious illnesses, like cancer, do benefit from blood products that are obtained from donors every day.

There are many reasons why people do or do not donate. If you can, and want to, please go to your local blood center and give a pint. If you cannot or prefer not to donate blood, here's how you can help:

The next time you go for a pint of ale, ice cream, or Starbucks coffee, reach into your pocket a little further and donate a matching amount to your local blood center. Those dollars will help save lives just as much as a pint of blood--and there are no needles. Thank you kindly.

[jkane]

I always tell people that when you donate money, some of it gets siphoned off for overhead. When you give blood, no one is siphoning any of it for themselves. ;-)

Both of my sons give blood too. I am surpirsed because I never told them to, they chose to themselves while still in high school. :-D

[Mike_Oettle]

This is an excellent cause. I am always trying to recruit people to donate blood.
But, sad to say, although I have donated 118 units, I have been unable to make donations since 2004.
First I had a problem with anæmia. When my doctor finally told me I was no longer anæmic, I discovered that because of a major operation in 2007, I had to wait until this year.
But when I reported at blood headquarters, I was told that I was taking too many anti-depressants, and they couldn’t use my blood.
This is a major frustration, as I have always wanted to match my father’s tally – he donated more than 200 units in his lifetime.
He started because his life was saved by a blood transfusion after he was hit by a German artillery shell in Italy in 1944. (His division, the 6th South African Armoured Division, was under command of the US 5th Army at the time.)
He was a keen member of his regional blood transfusion service, and served on the board for several years.
So I say more strength to your elbow! Give as often as you can (not more frequently than every six weeks). And encourage anyone who can donate to do so.
Regards,
Mike

[Burly Brute]

I am on a regiment of beta blockers, am I still eligible to donate?