there is a tragedy or request, it may be too late. The demand for blood does not have a
day off or get a break on the weekend. The need for blood does not decline during the
summer when school is out or on holidays when people are celebrating. The demand is
constant and sometimes critical. Although the demand for blood may slow down for an
hour, a day, or a week, there is always a need, thus a need for regular donations.
Giving blood on a regular basis is necessary to help meet the need, because the
need is always there. Natural disasters and accidents cannot be foreseen, so being
prepared and giving blood regularly is a way to help the area hospitals stay prepared
when these calamities do occur.
There are also benefits of giving blood regularly. Regular donations aid in
decreasing iron in the body which leads to decrease of free radicals in the body,
something that may be involved in and possibly cause degenerative diseases. Regular donation of blood helps to decrease the incidence of heart disease.
Each time a person gives blood, they get a free blood pressure check, diabetes check,
glucose, pulse, hemoglobin check, as well as being checked for communicable diseases.
All of these are free and a person is basically getting a free health check up each time
they donate blood.
Giving blood is not only beneficial to you physically, it is rewarding mentally and
spiritually. Being a regular donor makes you feel a sense of accomplishment. Although
you never now who will be getting your blood, you know that it will be someone
who needs it. A person does not have to be wealthy to give blood, just willing.
There is also the fact that the blood a person gives may be the blood that saves...I want to talk to you about the importance of donating blood. Some of you may know a friend or even a family member who has received blood at some time. I for one have received blood and I often wonder who took the time to donate it.
The only way to meet demand is to have regular donations from healthy volunteers.
If you are healthy, your body-which has between 10 and 12 pints of blood-can easily spare about a pint, the amount that is collected at a donation. Because the body begins replacing donated blood immediately, most people can give blood every eight weeks.
