Imgine yur helth cre eing delyed ecuse yur bld type ws missing frm hspitl shelves. That sentence was kind of hard to decipher, right? Well, it highlights the three main blood types, A, B, and O, that are always in need. And right now, there’s simply not enough people donating. The Miller-Keystone Blood Center cites the Top 10 Excuses for Not Donating Blood, with the number one reason being afraid of needles.
Past blood donors have mentioned that they “only felt a pinch.” Plus, the good that you’re doing by donating a pint, including saving up to three lives, easily outweighs the tiny prick. However, if you’re still not convinced, the American Red Cross’s Red Cross Chat has a blog post dedicated to “How to Donate Blood for Newbies and Needle-Haters.” Another reason is people believe that their blood type isn’t in demand.
While it’s true that blood centers often run short of types A, B, and O, all blood types are accepted, including plasma and platelets.
Now are you ready to give? Great! Here’s how to do so:
1) First, you must:
- Be in good health/feeling well
- Be at least 17 years old (16 in some states with parental consent)
- Weigh at least 110 pounds
- Have not donated within the last 56 days.
2) Find your nearest blood drive location by going to: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/find-drive.
3) When you arrive, you will be asked to read some information as well as provide a photo ID.
4) You will then be asked to answer questions online or in a private interview and receive a health check.
5) After, you will be seated comfortably for your donation where a pint of blood will be drawn. It will take approximately 8-10 minutes.
6) After donating, you may enjoy a drink and a snack for about 10-15 minutes before returning to the rest of your day.
7) Your blood is then tested and sent to a patient in need! If you donate through the Blood Donor App, you will be able to track your blood's journey!
To learn more about what happens with your donated blood, please visit: https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/what-happens-to-donated-blood.html
We thank you for your donation!
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