Register as a Blood Donor

I. Farticus

Well-Known Member
I kicked off a thread Register as an Organ Donor recently, and Monkey Spanker correctly pointed out that we should also look at becoming Blood Donors.

To that end:
Give Blood - do something amazing give Blood

I've been donating blood for about 25 years now, and as a bloke can donate every 12 weeks. Being O+, it's the least rare blood, and with 21,000 units in stock, makes up 38% of current stock. However, that's less than 10 days stock... The National Blood Service - See how much blood we have in stock


There was a mate of mine that was AB- and very proud that his blood was so rare until I pointed out that he was in real trouble if he was hit, as there was the square route of b*gger all around...

It might seem trite, but all my stalking kit is marked up O+, just in case... I want anyone to know what to pour into me without hesitation!

Someone, somewhere saved my now late-Father on 8 occasions, and many friends and family over the years. Without these anonymous donors, my life would now be as it is now, so I thank you...
 
A couple of years ago I was suddenly able to give blood! (My previous career didn't allow me to!)
Off I went on a Friday evening to give my normal unit of A Positive. Phoned my stalking buddy the next day to see if he was up for a trip out only to find that he had been rushed to hospital in the early hours with a Aortic Anurism which is basically where your Aorta (main artery from your heart!) swells up and eventually bursts into your abdomen!
He was given a 5-10% chance of survival. They weren't even going to bother to operate at first, but because he was a relativley fit and active builder aged 63 they tried.
He had a very long operation where they managed to get through 44 UNITS of blood!:scared:

Thankfully, he is still with us and is still a regular stalking buddy!:D

I jokingly said that he probably had my blood from the previous evening.:lol:

It actually turned out that he probably did as it is screened straight away for use, he was also A+ !!!:eek:

Give blood! :british:

MS
 
Good shout. It's so easy and costs you nothing. Nice nurses give you yummy cakes afterwards too!
 
Last edited:
Well, I am very grateful to all that Donate, I had a transfusion of 4 pints after an internal hemorrhage a couple of years ago, the only down side is I cannot donate blood anymore.
 
I used to give blood but do not do so anymore.

The reason is that I became aware that the blood that I gave free was being SOLD by the NHS Blood Transfusion Service both to UK hospitals and to overseas health services.

I would ask if this is still the case? Apparently it appears so:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11038849

NHS Blood and and Transplant Service charge the various users of the products which they collect and supply, because that's how they fund the process of collecting and processing them. It might seem slightly schizophrenic for different parts of the state to be trading commodities with each other, but that's just how certain things are funded - there aren't fat-cat shareholders getting rich selling on donated blood.

That BBC news article doesn't say anything about blood donated here in the UK being sent overseas, but really, so what if it is? Donated blood has a fairly short shelf life, once it's been donated it needs to be used or the donation will have been wasted....
 
Maybe a silly question but having read recently about the inability to diagnose Lyme disease until some weeks after infection would you really want a blood donation from a deer stalker? I wonder just how rigorous the testing procedure is before blood can be used.
 
Maybe a silly question but having read recently about the inability to diagnose Lyme disease until some weeks after infection would you really want a blood donation from a deer stalker? I wonder just how rigorous the testing procedure is before blood can be used.

I was banned from giving blood whilst under investigation for Lyme disease but as it was not confirmed either way despite two years of tests etc they have given up and said I can give blood again.
 
My blood has anti bodies for Chicken Pox, Measles and other diseases I caught as a child, highly sought after apparently.
 
I'm not allowed to give blood, for various reasons, but I almost certainly owe my life to donors, and encourage my friends and family to donate a bit more, to make up for me not being able to. I had two lots of open heart surgery, with one being on the heart and lung machine, and because I have an artificial heart valve I have to take warfarin (yes, rat poison) every day to prevent blood clotting on the hinges of the valve. I can understand them not wanting to use my blood, given that it contains fair quantities of an anti-clotting agent, but dearly wish I could still donate.

 
Have had to knock it on the head after 12 donations, cannot stand to be in the room without feeling faint, very strange. Obviously a psychological thing but cannot get past it, the last 2 times I gave blood I felt very faint after I'd given and haven't given since. I've been twice now wanting to give but as soon as I go in the room the colour starts to drain from me and I have to leave. Absolutely stupid really!
 
Back
Top