By: Pallavi KamatVolunteer, Youth For Seva

- Blood donation is the process by which a person voluntarily allows his blood to be drawn.

- This blood is stored, and used to save lives of many patients, as part of various medical and surgical settings.

- A clear procedure exists for taking blood from each donor. Sterility is maintained at all steps. A sterile, new needle is used for each donation and is then properly discarded.

- Use of sterile equipment and technique prevents the chance of infection.

-The time taken for a single donation session is about one hour.

-One unit of blood is 350ml.

-This blood will be replaced by your body in 24 to 48 hours.

-Race and caste have no importance in blood donation. It is the blood type and blood group that is of importance.

-You will NOT get AIDS or any other disease by donating blood.

• Blood is the life-maintaining fluid that circulates through the body.

• Blood carries the body’s nourishment, and oxygen.

• Blood carries away from the body waste matter and carbon dioxide.

• Blood fights against infection and helps heal wounds, keeping you healthy.

• Blood makes up about 7% of your body's weight.

• Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues

• Blood contains white blood cells are the body's defence against infection.

• There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.

• Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.

- Blood is the living fluid that all life is based on.

- Blood is composed of 60% liquid part and 40% solid part.

- The liquid part called plasma is easily replenished by food, medicines, etc. But the solid part that contains blood cells, takes a lot of valuable time to be replaced if lost.

- The time taken by a patient’s body to replace the blood volume could lead to death.

- Sometimes the body might not be in a condition to replace it at all.

- This means only YOU can save a life that needs blood.

- Every year India requires 40 million units of 250cc blood out of which ONLY 500,000 blood units are available.

- Thus there is a VERY HIGH requirement of blood and blood donors.

- Every year there is a shortage of 4 lakh blood units.

- Bangalore city alone faces the shortage of 1.5 lakh units.

- Every day in Bangalore there is a requirement of 2 to 2500 units of blood.

- ACCIDENT COUNT IS IN INCREASING ORDER WHILE BLOOD IS DECREASING.

- Within a short time after an accident, the necessary blood should be provided.

- Many times there have been deaths because of shortage of required blood group.

- Donors should come forward voluntarily to donate blood.

- Dr Raju Chandrashekar from Red Cross Society says, “Donating blood improves your healthimproves your health, it does not spoil health.”

•Every 2 seconds someone needs blood.

•Your blood helps more than one life at a time.

•Accident victims, premature babies, patients undergoing major surgeries etc. require blood, so your blood will be used directly after testing.

•Blood is needed at regular intervals

•Blood can be stored for about 42 days

-Any healthy person above 18 years

- Weight more than 50 kgs

- Not suffering from infectious diseases like HIV, Hepatitis B etc.

-You can donate blood once in 3 months.

-You should not take any medicinemedicine for 48 hours before48 hours before donating blooddonating blood.

-You should not have suffered from jaundice or malariajaundice or malaria for the past 3 yearspast 3 years.

•Have a good meal at least 3 hours before donating blood.

•Accept the snacks offered to you after the donation, it is very important to eat something.

•Have a good meal later.

•Avoid smoking on the day before donating. You can smoke 3 hours after donation.

•Do not consume alcohol for 48 hours BEFORE donation, and 24 hours AFTER donation.

(1) "I will feel drained and tired after donating" -NO. You will not feel drained or tired if you continue to drink fluids and have a good meal.

(2) "I cannot resume normal activities" -YES YOU CAN. You can resume all your normal activities, after 2-3 hours rest.

(3) "I will have low blood" -NO. You will be donating only a small amount of the total volume of blood in your body.

(4) "I can't take alcohol" -ONLY FOR 24 HOURS. You can take alcohol the next day.

(5) "It will be painful while donating" -NO, you will not feel any pain while giving blood.

(6) "I will feel dizzy and may faint" -NO. You will not faint or feel uncomfortable after donating blood.

(7) "I may get AIDS!" -NO! The staff will make sure that DISPOSABLE SYRINGES are used and all measures are taken to keep you free from infection. (8) "My blood is common. I don't think there will be demand for it" -WRONG. In India there is very high requirement of all blood types.

•Fear of the needle

•Fear of pain

•Fear of sight of blood

•Fear of future weakness

•Fear of possible side effects

•Objection from parents or elders

•Social taboo

•Ignorance and illiteracy

•Inconvenience due to location and timing of blood collection

SO GO AHEAD SO GO AHEAD AND DONATE AND DONATE BLOOD NOW!BLOOD NOW!

YOU CAN SAVE A LIFE!