Think
about a loved one you hold so dear to your heart, imagine she require blood
transfusion to survive after severe bleeding and there is shortage of blood
donations available, so, she cannot receive the treatment she desperately need.
Are you above 18 years of age?
Do you consider yourself fairly healthy?
Do weigh more than 50kg?
If
you answered yes to all these questions, then you should be donating blood
every three to four months.
In my survey of the class, I discovered that only 30
per cent of you donate blood on regular basis. The lack of participation of
eligible donors is a serious problem that requires immediate action.
Through elaborate research and two years of faithfully
donating blood, I have come to realize the magnitude of this problem and just
how easy the solution can be.
First, let’s look at the overwhelming need for blood
donors. The lack of eligible donors poses a threat to the lives of many
Nigerians. According to the National Blood Transfusion Service Speculation,
individuals undergo blood transfusion every three seconds, which amounts to
3000 gallons of blood everyday. People who benefit from donations range from
Cancer patients to Organ transplant patients, to surgical patients, even
premature babies and invalids. The need for blood is endless and neither should
donors relent.
In a recent incidence that took place involving Linda,
a fourteen year old girl. An organ transplant is to be carried out on her to
replace an infected organ in her system. She has spent virtually one year in
the hospital, receiving treatment for infection that resulted from a decrease
in her white blood cell.
According
to the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, where she is admitted, Linda’s
treatment will require blood products with a replacement quantity of 500 units
of blood, of which only 200 units have been replaced. She still requires more
than 200 units of blood to continue her treatment.
If
she doesn’t receive this blood, she will not live to complete her secondary
education, go to the tertiary institution or even get married and become a
fulfilled woman.
Cases like Lindas’ are becoming too rampant these
days, with only 5 per cent out of 25 per cent eligible Nigerians donating blood
and the donor rate dropping steadily at 3 per cent annually.
These
facts are very perturbing, considering that half of us here will require blood
at least once in our life time.
Fortunately, it is a problem that can easily be
solved; you can be part of the solution. All you need do to save these lives,
is to donate your blood to nearest blood transfusion service.
Here, I would like to explain how the process goes and
encourage you to take action to combat this need.
First, you will be required to fill out a Donor
Information Form that asks you questions about your sexual and health history.
Then, they will take a drop of blood from your finger, to measure the
percentage of red blood cells in your blood.
Next, they will take your blood pressure, temperature
and pulse, so by this, you are at the same time doing yourself a favour of
checking up yourself.
After
that, you will be asked to choose from which arm you prefer to donate, then you
will be placed on a donor chair. A staff will clean your arm and insert a
sterile non- reusable needle, so that there’s no way to contract HIV/AIDS from
donating blood. A pint of your blood will be taken, which usually lasts for
10minutes.
The finally stage which is to benefit of the donor is
the resting stage. You will be asked to rest for 15 to 30 minutes while
enjoying juice and biscuits. The process is over and in three months, for the
male you can donate again, while the female will be fit to donate after four
months due to their physiological make up.
Now that you know how easy and safe the solution to
lack of blood is, it is also necessary to know how much difference your
donations can make.
Every unit of blood you donate can help save up to
three lives, since your blood consists of three qualities: Red blood which is
used to treat Anaemia, White blood are used to fight Infections, while
Platelets are necessary to control bleeding and used to treat patients with
Leukemia and other forms of cancer.
The Joy you derive from helping three persons can be
increased as many times over if you donate blood three to four times a year, these
donations could help save as many as twelve people. Just imagine if you donated
for ten years, you could help save the life’s of almost one hundred and twenty
people.
Who
knows! One of the those lives could be that of a friend, a family member, or even
your own, since you can now donate in advance of your own surgery.
Now
that you known what difference just one donation can make, I want to encourage
you to take action, become a regular blood donor, forty five minutes out of
your day is a small price to pay for the life time of satisfaction you receive
in knowing you may have saved a life.
If you have never done it, fund some courage and
become a proud wearer of “I’m a first donor tag”. If you have ever donated,
think back to feeling of pride and sense of belonging you received form making
your donation.
Go to the nearest blood transfusion service and donate
blood!
Save lives!,
Give the most noble gift, do it regularly!