Top Ten Reasons for Not Giving Blood

Reason #3. “My Blood Type Is Not In Demand.”

People often think that the most common blood types are least in demand — after all, there are more donors of that type then, right?  Wrong! The more people that have a blood type, the more their blood donations are vital because the higher the demand generally is for transfusions of that blood type.

For instance, one in three persons in the general population is O+, and one in three is A+.  A high proportion of people with a certain blood type that also means there will be a greater need for that type when multiple medical emergencies arise.

Potential organ recipients may have to pass up life-saving organs if their blood type isn’t available when they find out that an organ is available. Other surgery patients may also have to put off surgery if enough blood of their type available isn’t available.

Pediatric cancer patients, premature infants and children undergoing heart surgery also rely on blood and platelets from donors of all blood types to get the treatment they need, according to America’s Blood Centers.  Other nonemergency surgeries, such as orthopedic operations, may also be postponed if there is a blood shortage.

Blood centers run short of all types of blood, especially during the summer and winter months when there are higher demands and fewer donations due to travel and holidays. If all donors (including you!) gave at least twice a year, it would help prevent blood shortages year-round.

While blood centers need donors of all blood types to maintain the blood supply, type O-negative blood donations are vital, because it’s the universal donor — unlike other blood types, it can be given to people with all blood types.

The stock of type O-negative blood can mean life or death for trauma patients.  In the time it takes for hospital workers to test and match a trauma patient’s blood, the patient could bleed to death, according to an article published a few years ago in the Seattle Times.  But if a hospital has type O-negative blood on-hand, it can be given to a trauma patient immediately without fear of life-threatening complications.  Likewise, people with type AB blood, either positive or negative, are universal plasma donors.

The rarest blood type is one that’s not on the shelf when a patient needs it.  By giving blood, you can give the gift of life to as many as three people, no matter what blood type you have.

A resident of Easton, Sarah Peters is a junior at Penn State University, and a Public Relations Intern at Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

Top Ten Reasons for Not Giving Blood

Reason #2. “Others Are Donating Enough.”

This statement is inaccurate. Approximately half of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, yet only five percent of those who’re eligible actually give blood!

Nationally, blood supplies sometimes runs low, especially during summer and winter months. Running out of blood isn’t like running out of an ingredient while cooking, however — there is no substitute for blood.

Someone needs blood every two seconds. That’s about as often as you blink.  To them, your blood is irreplaceable.  Your body, on the other hand, replaces the fluid lost within hours and the red blood cells within a month of donating, according to America’s Blood Centers.  

Just like food and medication, blood has an expiration date, adding to Miller-Keystone Blood Center’s dependency on a steady stream of donors.  Whole blood has a shelf-life of about a month and half; platelets, used to treat cancer patients and burn victims, have a shelf-life of less than a week.

MKBC continually needs blood donors to keep the community’s blood supply at a safe level. As the only supplier to over 21 regional hospitals that need over 450 units of blood for their patients daily, MKBC needs your blood to keep premature infants, accident victims, burn victims, cancer patients and others in need of life-saving transfusions alive.

Some of the top reasons patients need blood: premature birth, accidents, burns, cancer, heart disease, gastrointestinal tract disease and transplants.  Here’s how many units of blood patients in need typically use:

• Premature Infant: 1-4 units of red cells
• Automobile Accident: 5-100 units of red cells
• Burn Victims: 20 units of platelets
• Cancer Patient: 3-10 units of red cells / 10-30 units of platelets
• Sickle Cell Patient: 10-20 units of red cells
• Heart Surgery: 3-8 units of red cells / 1-10 units of platelets / 2-5 units of plasma
• Organ Transplant: 10-30 units of red cells / 10-30 units of platelets / 10-20 units of plasma / 20 bags of cryoprecipitate
• Bone Marrow Transplant: 15-20 units of red cells / 100-120 units of platelets

If blood donors gave just twice a year, blood shortages would be rare. 

Unfortunately, many people don’t start giving blood until someone they know — a neighbor, friend or family member — needs it.  By donating blood on a regular basis, you can help ensure that enough blood is there when someone you love depends on it.

A resident of Easton, Sarah Peters is a junior at Penn State University, and a Public Relations Intern at Miller-Keystone Blood Center.

Top Ten Reasons for Not Giving Blood

Reason #1. “I’m afraid of needles.”

If you’re afraid of needles, you’re far from alone. In fact, ABC News reported in 2008 that up to ten percent of the population may be affected by needle phobia.

Most people can agree that getting injected with Novacaine at the dentist isn’t one of their favorite things to do, nor is the momentary prick of getting a vaccine or the pinch of a needle for a blood test. However, the minimal discomfort of a momentary prick is certainly worth it when its cause is giving the gift of blood, the gift of life, for as many as three other people.

Fear of needles is certainly a valid concern and is even recognized by mental health professionals as a mental disorder. Admittedly, blood donation requires not one but two quick needle sticks — one during the interview to check a donor’s iron level and another to take his or her donation.

Even if thinking about needles makes you cringe, you can still be a life-saving blood donor. Some people decide to donate blood to overcome their fears, and the donation process itself causes little discomfort; the quick pinch to test the iron level is the worst part for many donors.

While getting pricked with a needle certainly isn’t a pleasant experience for anyone, the actual whole blood donation typically takes less than ten minutes. Once it’s over, a member of the MKBC staff will hook you up with a bandage and you can reward yourself with some sweet treats at the canteen.

Plus, drinking plenty of water before your donation can help minimize the pinch factor. According to blood donation experts, staying hydrated will cut down on the time it takes to collect your donation and make you feel better after it’s over.

Today, it is commonplace for adults to have multiple tattoos and piercings — all of which required a needle prick. The American Academy of Dermatology reported that 24 percent of adults surveyed in 2004 said they had a tattoo, and 34 percent reported having ear piercings.

Why not endure those same pricks we so willingly endure for our own health or appearance to save the life of another person?

A resident of Easton, Sarah Peters is a junior at Penn State University, and a Public Relations Intern at Miller-Keystone Blood Center.