When was the last time you rolled up your sleeve and gave blood? Just recently? Back in high school? Never?
Don’t feel badly if you’re not a regular donor — Canadian Blood Services reports that only about four per cent of eligible donors in Canada give blood, and Vancouver’s track record is even worse at just two per cent. These statistics are indicative of our current predicament: Canada is experiencing its biggest blood shortage in six years.
Canadian Blood Services (CBS) is urging anyone able to donate blood to do so, in order to build their stock. But even when the donation rate isn’t this low, the CBS is always in need of a little extra red. After all, blood can only be safely stored for 35–42 days after collection; that means new donors are always needed to keep stocks full. If all Canadians stopped donating blood entirely, the existing stock would only last for about four days.
Blood donation has a long and interesting history. In terms of public health as well as scientific progress, transfusion is among the most important discoveries of the past few centuries. The first successful transfusion was performed in 1665 by physician Richard Lower, who saved his ailing pet dog by transferring blood to it from other canines.
Just 500 ml of blood, the standard amount donated, can help save up to three lives.
Though later transfusions were performed between humans and animals such as sheep, the first successful human-to-human blood transfusion did not happen until 1818, less than two centuries ago. Almost 100 years later, the three basic human blood types — A, B, and O — were first identified.
This was a game-changing discovery — knowledge that blood could be classified by its antibodies (ABO) and antigens (positive or negative) dramatically increased the success rate of transfusion, and led to the saving of thousands of lives. If you don’t know your own blood type, ask your doctor (or your mom). It might just save your life one day.
So why is blood transfusion so important? Statistics show that someone in Canada needs blood every minute, and around half of Canadians have reported either themselves, family members, or friends needing blood at one point in their lives.
A normal human body contains about 10 units of blood at 500 ml, or just under one pint, per unit. Just one unit of blood — the standard amount donated — can help save three lives. As an added cool factor, the donated ‘blood’ which modern doctors use is actually just certain components of blood, namely red cells, plasma, and platelets, each of which is used to help patients suffering vastly different ailments. This is the reason that three different lives can be saved with each single donation.
So, who is being helped by the blood you give? As it turns out, pretty much everyone. Among the more common recipients of blood transfusions are car accident victims; premature infants and children being treated for cancer, anaemia, or heart surgeries; women suffering complications from pregnancy; severe burn victims; surgical and cancer patients; and those with blood disorders, who often need to receive new transfusions every month.
People who know very little about the process often ask whether or not it’s complicated. It isn’t — the whole process, from the moment you walk into the clinic to the moment you leave, takes about an hour. When you arrive at the clinic, you will go through registration, a medical history check, and after a quick physical, the blood donation process will begin.
The actual donation usually lasts around 10–12 minutes. After that, you can help yourself to snacks and refreshers in the clinic! If you’re feeling really generous, a healthy Canadian can legally give blood up to seven times in a single year. That’s 21 saved lives per year, making you pretty much an unofficial superhero.
To debunk a few common myths about the donation process, read on: it’s absolutely safe and only sterile needles are used; it doesn’t pose any significant risk to your health; and no, it doesn’t hurt that much. Barely as much as a pin prick.
If you’re at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds, you’re allowed to donate blood about once every two months. The best place to donate is the Canadian Blood Services; you can either book an appointment or just walk into the clinic during their open hours. The two clinics closest to SFU are located in Surrey near Guildford Town Centre and in Vancouver next to the BC Women’s Hospital.
While most of us are keenly aware of the importance of blood donation, many people remain reluctant to take action — we’re lazy, busy, or just too nervous around needles. To be honest, I’m not a regular donor myself; the first and last time I gave blood was in high school. However, writing this article has reminded me of the feeling of reward that comes from doing a good deed for others.
I’m encouraging everyone like me to stand up and donate blood again. This Halloween, why not do away with the fake blood and give donation a shot? It’s one of the easiest and most painless ways there is to save lives, and it feels good to know that you’re making a contribution to the health of those across the country. It doesn’t matter what your blood type is — only that you’re the giving type.
