I did a quick poll in the office and got the responses
- "I know I should"
- "I did once"
- "I'm not sure if I can"
- "I don't like needles"
Well let's look at these...
"I know I should"
...and so? No one who lives in a city has any excuse for not giving blood. Especially london. There are permanent sites all over the place and temp ones pop up regularly. Just type your postcode into the website and away you go. I expect you'll find somewhere you could donate within 24 hours. People in less rural areas do need to plan ahead but even there you'll find somewhere you can donate within the next month. Go! Do it now!
"I did once"
Well fecking well go and do it again. Once doesn't make you some sort of hero. Women can donate every 16 weeks and men every 12. Type your postcode into the website and book to go again online now.
"I'm not sure if I can"
Are you waiting for someone to spontaneously tell you you can? There is a donor health check online. Go.
"I don't like needles"
I sympathise. I don't like needles. I would suspect that very few people give blood because they like needles. Only a very select element of the population like needles. If you have a real life phobia then fair enough. But for everyone else...do you dislike needles so much that if you needed a life saving blood transfusion you would refuse it? If you would be happy to accept a transfusion you should give blood. Tell the nurse you don't like needles and they will reassure you. Don't be selfish.
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I have been a blood donor for a few years now but am afflicted with tiny veins. I've only been able to donate 50% of the time because they couldn't find a suitable vein the rest of the time. I would willingly give blood every 16 weeks if I could, despite my dislike of needles, but I can't. I hope at least one person reading this will make an appointment to donate.
5 comments:
Well said. I despair sometimes, especially the 'I don't like needles' one! The only type of needles I like are the ones you knit and sew with, so I just look away when they put it in.
Great post! It amazes me how apathetic people seem to be about giving blood. It's so important and so easy. I donate as often as I'm allowed. I have large veins and am not at all squeamish. I read while I'm lying there and get to have snacks when I'm done!
It's nice to hear about other people who are donors!
Yes! I totally agree with you. 'I don't like needles' well wha wha bloody wha wha! Get to it, people!
Since 1972 I've given over 50 donations. I should have given more, but tend to travel occasionally to places that disqualify me for a 6 month stretch. My right arm has a patchwork of scar tissue, as they gave up on the left one years ago!
Alex, by the way, thanks for pushing the blood drive. I'm a big believer in donating blood. It's the right thing to do.
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