Why is donating blood so important?

Why is donating blood so important?

Blood donation is in constant demand. There are people in desperate need of a transfusion. However, the number of donations in the UK is low. NHS England has recently have made a plea to the public asking for 1 million people to donate blood. Currently, only 2% of the population donate blood. The nation’s blood stocks are often low, and the NHS sometimes struggles to keep enough blood in reserve so that anyone who needs a donation can have one. This could mean that lives are at risk if people can’t get the vital blood that they need.

When are blood transfusions used?

When someone is losing their own blood at a dangerous rate or undergoing treatments for various medical conditions, a blood transfusion is often used as an effective treatment. A blood transfusion is where somebody else’s blood that’s suitable for you is injected into your body. It obviously replenishes the blood within your body.

Sometimes, specific components of blood, like platelets or plasma, are transfused.

How do I prepare?

There are some things you should do before giving blood. These include:

• Eating plenty, especially anything rich in iron (like meat, fish, eggs, pulses/beans, nuts, wholemeal or brown breads, brown rice, tofu, leafy green vegetables, or dried fruit)
• Drink lots of water
• Avoid heavy exercise
• Wear clothing that isn’t tight on your arms
• Get a good night’s sleep
• Avoid alcohol

What happens when I get to the donation centre?

When you arrive, you’ll have to read through informational pamphlets about the procedure and fill in a form.

This questionnaire will contain a lot of personal questions that you are required to answer. These answers will then be discussed with a healthcare professional.

As you do this, you’ll be given a glass of water that you’ll need to finish before the donation begins.

The main event: the donation

You’ve read all the paperwork and you’ve passed the assessment, and now the time has arrived for the main event.

You might be feeling nervous, and that is totally normal. Take some deep breaths or distract yourself.

Remind yourself why you’re putting yourself through this stress. This feeling of discomfort is well worth enduring when you consider the good you’re doing for someone else.

Once you are seated for the procedure and confirmed a few details, an armband will be placed around your bicep, and the healthcare professional will find the best vein to use. Once found, they’ll put a needle into your arm and begin to extract the blood.

You’ll be encouraged to tense and release certain muscles during the procedure, to promote blood flow. You’ll be given a rubber ball that you’ll squeeze throughout the donation process.

Apart from this small task, your job is now to relax. You can read a book or listen to some music. However, there’s a good chance you won’t have time to get too comfortable, because normally only it takes between 5 to 15 minutes to donate. It takes longer to do the paperwork!

After you donate

When a healthcare professional has safely taken the needle out of your arm and covered the area with a plaster, you’ll then be directed to a seating area to rest. Your normally spend about 10 -15 minutes here.

Then comes the best bit. To get your energy levels up, you’ll be some given free biscuits or crisps, along with squash or water.

If you feel fine, you’ll be allowed to leave. It’s important to notify the staff if you’re not feeling okay.

After your donation, there are some things you should do:

• Rest
• Avoid strenuous activities, like heavy lifting or workouts
• Avoid alcohol
• Eat and drink plenty