Give the gift of blood
Donations are urgently needed, especially at this time of year, writes Marchelle Abrahams
WHEN donating blood for the first time, you need to be cool, calm and relaxed. I was none of these things. I was an anxious ball of nerves as I walked into the Cape Town branch of the Western Cape Blood Transfusion Service.
It didn’t help that I brought with a colleague who was egging me on, pointing out the various paraphernalia, taking pictures of the worried look on my face.
Don’t get me wrong – after two kids and various hospital stays – needles aren’t my problem. At the sight of blood there’s something about it that makes me weak in the knees, literally.
After being informed by my editor that I had to donate blood, I thought “I got this.” And then the full realisation hit me as the nurse took my blood pressure and said “just relax.” Oh no, she shouldn’t have said that: my pulse rate shot up and my palms started sweating.
One look at me and she said she couldn’t take my blood.
A cup of juice and rescue remedy in my system, I went through the long questionnaire, and then went through it again with the nurse.
They tested my iron levels and just when I felt I had mustered up the courage, my time had expired.
If you, like me, have never donated blood before, now’s the time to consider it. There’s an urgent need for blood donations, especially at this time of the year when regular donors are on holiday and fatalities are on the increase.
Just recently the WP Blood Transfusion Service sent out an SMS to their regular donors, calling for O positive donations.
In South Africa the majority of the country’s donors tend to come from tertiary students and learners who contribute about 40 percent to national blood reserves.
The South African National Blood Service (SANBS) is also currently running their Be The 1 campaign in response to the global decline in the number of new and young donors. They even managed to add some star power by bringing Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo on board.
“Ronaldo started donating as a 24-year-old when he witnessed one of his teammates battle with the search for a stem cell donor for his ailing son. Seven years later he is still giving blood regularly,” says Silungile Mlambo, senior marketing manager for SANBS.
The campaign seems to be a success, given that more young donors have come on board, noted Mlambo.
As a first-time donor, you need to be between the ages of 16 and 65; weigh a minimum of 50kg; be in good health; lead a sexually safe lifestyle and consider your blood safe for transfusion.
The questionnaire itself is a minefield of intensive enquiries, some which I found a little too intrusive.
But in retrospect, all necessary precautions need to be taken – your blood may save a life.
Did you know one unit of blood can save up to three lives? The one blood group that’s always in demand is O negative.
Mlambo explains the importance of this specific group: “Group O negative blood can be transfused to anyone, so these donors are referred to as ‘universal donors’.
“However, Group O negative patients can only receive group O negative blood. Group O blood is the most versatile and therefore adequate stock of group O blood is vital.
“If for instance, group A blood is not in stock, group O blood will be used.”
Mlambo stresses that all blood groups are in demand – “to ensure adequate stocks at all times.”
It certainly puts things in perspective, knowing that your blood type could be the “giver of life” so to speak.
So, come tomorrow I’m marching myself back to WP blood and I’m going to finish what I started. Because I want to prove to myself that I can overcome my fear of blood, and because I do want to help save a life. Come on, help save a life.