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Kateryn Coreas Capstone 8th period 11/14/2013 Mrs. Frank

Donate Blood: Gift of Life

Every two seconds, in the nited !tates a"one, so#eone needs a $"ood trans%&sion. 'ery o%ten there is not eno&(h $"ood or the ri(ht type o% $"ood avai"a$"e to acco##odate those who need it. )"ood trans%&sions e*tend $eyond the con%ine#ents o% o&r co##&nity. )"ood donations are an essentia" part o% not +&st the ,#erican hea"th care, $&t hea"th care wor"dwide. -eop"e in need o% $"ood donations s&%%er everyday $eca&se o% the shorta(e o% $"ood a#on( hospita"s and c"inics. .o a (reat e*tent, donatin( $"ood is re(arded as a (i%t o% "i%e, since (ivin( $"ood to other peop"e has the potentia" to save their "ives. )e%ore #akin( a $"ood donation, the potentia" donor is asked a$o&t their hea"th, "i%esty"e and history. .his screenin( process is to #ake s&re the donor is %it and we"", and to dis/&a"i%y peop"e with 01' or 0epatitis who present risk o% havin( a $"ood $orne in%ection, these in%ections are #ost co##on in ho#ose*&a" re"ationship, shared need"e dr&( &sers and $ise*&a" re"ationships. .here%ore, every hea"thy individ&a" sho&"d consider donatin( his/her $"ood in case o% necessity or &r(ency. 2onatin( $"ood is a re"ative"y new concept in o&r society. ,ccordin( to the ,#erican 3ed Cross "ar(e sca"e, or(ani4ed e%%orts to co""ect $"ood and p"as#a in the nited !tates $e(an in Fe$r&ary 1541. ,"so the !&r(eon 6enera" o% the ,r#y and 7avy asked the ,#erican 3ed Cross to $e(in a $"ood donor service since the co&ntry was in the $rink o% war. .he work o% the Co&nci" o% E&rope in the $"ood trans%&sion area started in the 15809s.

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:ver the past %i%ty years, #ore than one #i""ion peop"e have donated $"ood in 0on( Kon( and over %o&r #i""ion &nits o% $"ood have $een s&ccess%&""y co""ected to &se wor"dwide over the past years ;)"ood trans%&sions<. 2onatin( $"ood is a sa%e process $eca&se each set &p contains a steri"e need"e and new $"ood co""ections $a(s are app"ied to prevent an in%ection to the donor and conta#ination o% the $"ood donors. .he ! re(&"ations, %or instance, a""ow donatin( $"ood once per 8= days. , donor #&st $e at "east 1> years o"d and in (ood hea"th, and wei(h at "east 110 po&nds. 1= years o"d can a"so donate too, $&t they have to have a per#ission si(n $y their parents and wei(ht 122 in order to donate. F&rther#ore, prior to donatin(, a donor is re/&ired to pass a hea"th history and physica" history review. 2onatin( $"ood is a vo"&ntary process where vo"&nteers provide their $"ood to increase co##&nity $"ood s&pp"y. ?1t is cr&cia" %or any co&ntry to advance its $"ood trans%&sion syste# to ens&re re(&"ar, sa%e and s&staina$"e $"ood s&pp"y@ ;,#erican 3ed Cross<. .here%ore it is i#portant that every individ&a" is aware o% the $"ood donation process and %&""y co#prehend the vita" i#portance o% the who"e process. Even a %ew #i""i"iters can potentia""y save other personAs "i%eB there%ore they have a s&$stantia" s&pp"y o% a"" $"ood types. .ypes are ?,@ ?)@ ?,)@ and ?:@ ;.he 0&#an 0eart<. , person with type , $"ood can donate $"ood to a person with type , or type ,) and can a"so receive $"ood %ro# a person with type , or type :. , person with type ) $"ood can donate $"ood to a person with type ) or type ,) and can receive $"ood %ro# a person with type ) or type :. , person with type ,) $"ood can donate $"ood to a person with type ,) on"y $&t cannot receive $"ood %ro# anyone. , person with type : $"ood can donate to anyone $&t can on"y receive %ro# $"ood %ro# a person with type :. )eca&se o% these patterns, a person with type : $"ood is said to $e a &niversa" donor. , person with type ,)

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$"ood is said to $e a &niversa" receiver. 1n (enera", however, it is sti"" $est to #i* $"ood o% #atchin( types )"ood is perceived as the #ost precio&s (i%t &nder certain sit&ations, there%ore $"ood donation is certain"y an act o% h&#an di(nity. 0owever, #any peop"e re#ain &naware o% the $"ood donation process and there%ore cannot he"p others even i% they can. .his indicates that "ar(e internationa" or(ani4ations sho&"d active"y atte#pt to %oc&s on raisin( awareness and initiatives to enco&ra(e peop"e %ro# 1> years o"d and &p to s&pport their co##&nities as donors. )"ood donorAs vo"&nteers are constant de#and to despite the newest #edica" and s&r(ica" advance#ents. .he practice o% $"ood donation is a wor"dwide practice, and the 14th o% C&ne is acc"ai#ed as the Dor"d )"ood 2onor 2ay ;D0: Ca#pai(ns<. .his day serves to raise awareness o% the need %or sa%e $"ood and $"ood prod&cts and to thank vo"&ntary &npaid $"ood donors %or their "i%e savin( (i%ts o% $"ood. .he 7 and D0: #e#$ers contin&a""y pro#ote vo"&nteer to donate their $"ood in vario&s cities o% the wor"d and to s&pport the ("o$a" #ove#ent that enco&ra(es re(&"ar $"ood donations. ?)"ood 2onations can he"p a variety o% individ&a"s "oca""y and wor"dwide with pro$"e#s s&ch as .ra&#a 'icti#s, !&r(ery patients, pre#at&re $a$ies, individ&a" with ane#ia and #any #ore@ ;6&"% Coast 3e(iona" )"ood Center<. Every person a#on( the pop&"ation with so#e sort o% disease or hea"th condition #ay need to receive $"ood which #ay prevent the# %ro# "eavin( their "overs and their %a#i"y #e#$ers. Dhen receivin( a trans%&sion that provides the part or parts o% $"ood that wi"" $e #ost he"p%&" %or the person who is to $e sa%e the co#ponents are to $e red ce""s, p"as#a and p"ate"ets@ ;Mayo C"inic<. :nce so#eone has donated their $"ood they wi"" $e co##itted %or

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"i%e, that does not #eans they have to donate every ti#e, rather it #eans that that person have he"ped save three "ives with a sin("e donation. ,ccordin( to the ,#erican 3ed Cross, $"ood is no "on(er &sa$"e a%ter 42 days. ,s a res&"t, #aintainin( an ade/&ate $"ood s&pp"y is a cha""en(e, especia""y when a disaster occ&rs, which #ay ca&se the need %or $"ood to soar. .he on"y way to #eet de#and is to have re(&"ar donations %ro# hea"thy vo"&nteers. 1% yo& are hea"thy, yo&r $ody which has $etween 10 and 12 pints o% $"ood can easi"y spare a pint or two, which is the a#o&nt co""ected at a donation. ,ccordin( to 2.,. 3ede"#eier who esti#ated that one &nit o% $"ood re%"ects a$o&t =00 ca"ories o% %ood intake and that a sin("e $"ood donation co&"d o%%set 2 ha#$&r(ers, 3 don&ts or 8 (rano"a $ars. , s#a"" sa#p"e o% yo&r $"ood is &s&a""y needed $e%ore a $"ood trans%&sion to #ake s&re yo&r $"ood is co#pati$"e with the donor $"ood. )"ood is &s&a""y (iven thro&(h 1' t&$in( connected to ,E need"e which is inserted into a vein in yo&r ar#. .he cann&"a is connected to a drip and the $"ood r&ns thro&(h the drip into yo&r ar#. Most peop"e don9t %ee" anythin( when receivin( a $"ood trans%&sion. -atient wo&"d $e o$served at initiation o% the re(&"ar interva"s, $&t i% he/she starts to %ee" sick short"y a%ter the trans%&sion, they sho&"d te"" a #e#$er o% sta%% i##ediate"y. !o#e peop"e #ay deve"op a te#perat&re, chi""s or a rash. .hese reactions are &s&a""y #i"d and easi"y treated with paraceta#o" or $y s"owin( down the $"ood trans%&sion. ,ccordin( to the ,#erican 3ed Cross the risks o% ac/&irin( ,12! has $een e"i#inated thro&(h the %act that a new steri"e need"e is &sed %or each donor and discarded a%terwards. Many peop"e aro&nd the word sti"" think i% they donate $"ood they wi"" end &p dyin( d&e to a need"e in%ection or ,12s, $&t their tho&(hts are wron( $eca&se specia"ists now a day donAt do anythin( $e%ore #akin( s&re the need"es theyA"" $e &sin( are sa%e. )"ood that is rare or specia" is a"#ost a"ways in short s&pp"y. .here is a constant need %or these $"ood types in

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order to avoid havin( to recr&it speci%ic $"ood types in a crisis@ ;,#erican 3ed Cross<. ,n e*c&se %or peop"e not donatin( $"ood is that they are not the sa#e type as the person who# they wish to donate $"ood %or, $&t sti"" they can he"p save so#e other three peop"eAs "i%e. Most peop"e donAt rea"i4e that $y donatin( +&st one pint o% $"ood they can $rin( happiness to those in need. 1n the K and other Destern co&ntries, there are ri(oro&s re(&"ations re(ardin( $"ood donations and $"ood trans%&sions. ? .he ai# o% these re(&"ations is to #ini#i4e the risk o% a person $ein( (iven conta#inated $"ood with a vir&s, s&ch as hepatitis C, or receivin( an inco#pati$"e type@ ;)"ood .rans%&sions< Co#pared to other everyday risks, the "ike"ihood o% (ettin( an in%ection %ro# a $"ood trans%&sion is very "ow. ,"" $"ood donors are &npaid vo"&nteers. .hey9re care%&""y se"ected and tested to #ake s&re the $"ood they donate is as sa%e as possi$"e. )"ood donations are essentia" and i#portant a#on( the pop&"ation. 10> #i""ions o% peop"e have donated this year, $&t accordin( to 6&"% Coast to #eet the de#and o% $"ood a #ini#&# o% 1000 donations per day are needed. More and #ore peop"e wor"dwide are decidin( to donate $eca&se one o% their %a#i"y #e#$ers is e*periencin( the sa#e need o% $"ood. 3e(retta$"y, a$o&t others "ives when a disaster strikes and are wi""in( to he"p, $&t &n%ort&nate"y d&e to $"ood shorta(e it is too "ate to chan(e the o&tco#e %or so#eoneAs "i%e. :%ten it is "ate to chan(e so#ethin( or save so#eoneAs "i%e. :ne day we need the precio&s o&tsider to he"p &s whi"e the other day the person &nknown to &s wi"" need o&r he"p. )"ood donation sho&"d there%ore $e perceived as #&t&a""y s&pportive process everyone sho&"d $e aware o%. :&r know"ed(e and spreadin( it to others can reap #any $ene%its in the "on( r&n. Most i#portant"y, no one sho&"d never re#ain indi%%erent to others needs.

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.here are tra(edies happenin( at #a(nani#o&s sca"e and the de#and %or $"ood wi"" esca"ate. ,%ter the !epte#$er 11 tra(edy the need to store $"ood was disc&ssed with (reat %ervor and the need to keep stock o% a steady s&pp"y was (reat"y e#phasi4ed. ,ccordin( to 2008 esti#ates there was an ann&a" co""ection o% 81 #i""ion &nits o% $"ood. 2onatin( $"ood is de%inite"y an a"tr&istic no$"e and no$"e (est&re %i""in( the donor with happiness and content#ent. 1t is an intense"y h&#anitarian act which tides over #an #akes $arriers and one o% the $est ways to e*press o&r "ove and care %or o&r %e""ow $ein(s. ,"tho&(h $"ood trans%&sion is not witho&t in%ection risk, in #ost co&ntries with deve"oped hea"thcare syste#s and trans%&sion services this risk is e*tre#e"y s#a"", a"#ost ne("i(i$"e, and certain"y we"" $e"ow the "eve" o% the (enera" risk associated with invasive c"inica" proced&res and other aspects o% hea"th care in (enera". .he vast #a+ority o% patients are not at risk o% in%ection %ro# the $"ood and prod&cts that they receive. 0owever, it is a"so i#portant that ?trans%&sion services are vi(i"ant and ens&re that risks are kept "ow and that any threats to sa%ety are identi%ied and dea"t with as soon as possi$"e@ ;Med!cape<. Dhich #eans donatin( $"ood is not a risk instead it wo&"d co##it yo& %or "i%e #eanin( yo& had saved three "ives with one sin("e donation.

Word Cited
2onatin( )"ood.F American Red Cross. 7.p., n.d. De$. 24 !ept. 2013. FDhat9s Go&r )"ood .ypeHF What's Your Blood Type? 7.p., n.d. De$. 24 !ept. 2013. FDhat 1s a )"ood .rans%&sionHF - NHLBI NIH. 7.p., n.d. De$. 24 !ept. 2013.

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6ive the 6i%t o% Ii%eJ 2onate )"ood.F WH!. 7.p., n.d. De$. 28 7ov. 2013. F)"ood .ypin(J Med"ine-"&s Medica" Encyc"opedia.F "#$ National Li%rary o& 'edicine. .!. 7ationa" Ii$rary o% Medicine, n.d. De$. 28 :ct. 2013.

F'accines, )"ood K )io"o(ics.F (sta%lishment o& Re&erence )anels &or Blood *roup *enotypin+ Tests. 7.p., n.d. De$. 24 :ct. 2013. F)"ood .rans%&sion 3isks, !ide E%%ects and ,dverse 3eactions L Medicine7et.F 'edicineNet.7.p., n.d. De$. 23 :ct. 2013.