
Last weekend I gave my seventh blood donation through the American Red Cross. As I sat in the chair next to my girlfriend Pamela (Pediatric Nurse), I thought about the significance of what we were doing.
Where would our blood be going? Who would be helped by it? A mother? A father? A son or daughter? A baby? An adult? A person battling cancer, sickle cell disease or maybe a person involved in a car accident?
A chill ran down my spine as I thought about the lifesaving power that blood donations have for people who need transfusions. I reflected on my time in the ICU in 2004 when I needed 36 transfusions to stay alive, and I thought about the sick babies and young children that Pamela takes care of on a daily basis.
I knew in that moment, that our blood was going to help someone in need.
Quick Facts About the Blood Donation Process
- Blood donation is a simple, four-step process: registration, medical history and mini-physical, donation and refreshments. It is a safe process, and a sterile needle is used only once for each donor and then discarded.
Quick Facts About Blood Donors
- Half of Red Cross blood donors are male, and half are female.
- Only 7 percent of people in the United States. have type O-negative blood type, which is known as the universal blood type. Blood that is type O-negative can be given to people of all blood types. Type O-negative blood is needed in emergencies before the patient's blood type is known and with newborns that need blood.
Quick Facts About Red Cross Blood Services
- The Red Cross supplies approximately 40 percent of the nation's blood supply.
Why Donate Blood?
- You don't need a special reason to give blood; you just need your own reason. Some of us give blood because we were asked by a friend. Some know that a family member or a friend might need blood some day. Some believe it is the right thing we do.
To learn more about blood donation and the Red Cross, please visit redcross.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).