Top Ten Reasons for Not Giving Blood

Reason #6. “I Don’t Have Any Spare Blood To Donate.”

You’ve got plenty of blood. Think about it: every time you become a feast for mosquitoes, knick your finger with a paper cut or get a blood test, you’ve survived.  Even though you lose more blood when you donate, you’ll still have enough blood to be healthy and happy.  After all, you will have just given the best gift of all — the gift of life! 

The average adult has about two pints of blood for every 25 pounds of body weight.  According to the blood bank experts, If you weigh at least 110 pounds (the minimum weight for blood donation), you should be able to spare a pint with no problem.  Blood donations are vital - the one pint you give up can save the lives of as many as three people.

Plus, there are restrictions on how often you can donate.  Your body constantly makes blood, so the red blood cells you lose during whole blood donation will be completely replenished in about two months.  The fluids in your body take just a few hours to adjust, and we help move that along by providing you with liquids and snacks after your donation.  Most people have adapted and resume their normal level of activity within a day or so.

Blood, like food and medicine, has an “expiration date” – Red cells must be used within 42 days of donation, while platelets only have a useable lifespan of 5 days.  That is why it is so important for there to be a continuous stream of blood donors walking through the door.

And remember  - there’s no substitute for human blood; the people who need it rely on the selflessness of blood donors like you. 

MKBC is in constant need of blood donations to keep the community’s blood supply at a safe level.  For a patient who needs your blood today, the blood you can easily spare may be irreplaceable. 

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