This article will help you understand the benefits of blood donation. You will know that not only do others enjoy the benefits of your gift, but even you get many benefits by giving away blood. You will also learn how precious your blood is and how much a single pint of your blood can mean to someone. This article will also help you know and understand the rules of blood donation that we strictly need to follow.
World Blood Donor Day (introduction and history)
We celebrate World Blood Donor Day every year to raise awareness about the need for and importance of blood donation. This awareness helps people to save lives through blood donation.. According to WHO, 118.5 million blood donations are made each year, which is insufficient to cover the world’s needs globally.
The entire world celebrates World Blood Donor Day on June 14th. The World Health Organization declared this day. This day also marks the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner. He was the one who classified blood types and, above all, won the Nobel Prize for medicine.
Blood donation
Blood donation is the noble deed of voluntarily giving blood to someone who needs it. Donating blood doesn’t mean giving away the whole blood. Still, it may include donating components of blood like plasma or iron.
Types of blood donation
There are four types of blood donations.
- Plasma is extracted from blood and inserted into the body to accelerate healing.
- Red cells are transfused to cover the deficiency of iron or amenia.
- Platelets are injected into a body that is bleeding or is at risk of bleeding.
- Whole blood donation helps the person suffering from blood deficiency.
Rules of blood donation
Giving blood is a noble deed and helpful as well, but it has some rules to follow. We should follow these rules to keep both donor and recipient healthy. Those rules are as follows:
- Only people older than the age of 18 years can donate blood.
- The donor should weigh at least 45 kg.
- One can donate after three months of the previous one.
- Only a person in good health can donate blood.
- People with heart problems and diabetes cannot donate blood.
Also Read: Top Ten Ways to stop the water crises on World Water Day
Blood group compatibility
Four groups of blood are further divided into eight groups. These groups are not compatible with being transfused to any other group, so there is a whole system that mentions which blood type can be saturated to which group.
- A+ blood group can receive blood from A+, A-, O+, O-
- A-can receive blood types A-, O-
- B+ can receive blood from B+, B-, O+, O-
- B- blood group can receive blood from B-, O-
- Any other group can transfuse the AB+ blood group.
- AB- can get blood from A-, B-, AB-, O-
- O+ can only get a donation from O+, O-
- O- accepts no other blood type but O-
Top ten benefits of blood donation
1. Free health checkup
Before you donate blood, you always get a free health checkup. Through this, you can find out if you have any other diseases or any chance of having them in the future. A thorough health check-up helps us know our bodies. You can know if there are any specific needs in your body or what condition your internal organs are in.
2. Blood donation reduces the risk of heart attack
The sticky factor in our blood causes heart attacks because it causes blood clotting in our vessels and makes us susceptible to heart attacks. When we donate blood and produce new blood, it doesn’t have that sticky quality, reducing the chances of a heart attack.
3. Reduces risk of cancer
Overproduction of iron in the body can cause cancer. It can also affect the ability of the heart to pump and circulate blood and cause congestive heart failure. When we donate blood, our excess iron can be used to save someone’s life, and also, by reducing iron stores in our bodies, we can prolong our lives.
4. It keeps your liver healthy.
Too much iron can also cause hepatitis C, which may end human life. When we donate blood, we give away the extra iron in our body, which keeps our liver healthy and saves us from many liver diseases. Liver diseases may include liver cancer and cirrhosis.
5. Helps you mentally
As we know, donations of blood help others, and helping others gives us mental peace and also keeps us mentally healthy. Through blood donation, we not only help others but ourselves as well. The mental peace you get by helping someone by blood donation is unique.
6. Reduces harmful iron stores
Excess iron can be harmful to the human body and can cause damage to the gastrointestinal system. Donating blood reduces the excessive amount of iron from our body and keeps the gastrointestinal system safe.
7. One blood donation saves three lives
There are many components in blood, and each of them has its own value. Blood consists of red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, and plasma that we can use to save at least three lives. These three people you keep with your donation might pass this on and become the messiah for someone else.
8. Every donation makes a difference.
Every donation makes a difference by helping people and providing them with mental peace. whenever you donate blood to help a person, it helps them and you. A single donation gives three people the chance to live longer.
9. Detoxifies your body:
Every time you give blood, new blood takes that place. By donating blood, you not only help someone by giving blood but also detoxify your own body. Taking out blood helps in intoxicating blood in the body.
10. Recovery of blood
Every time we donate blood, it takes 24 hours to recover the blood volume, and the red blood cells take almost six weeks to replace. This recovered blood keeps us healthier than we were before.
Conclusion
Blood donation is an act of giving away your blood to help. Blood donation helps in saving lives if the process is done under the supervision of a specialist and by following specific rules. This can be a beneficial deed for both the donor and recipient if done correctly. Your blood is replaced by new blood after donation, and the donated blood gives new life to someone.
FAQs:
Who can donate blood?
Blood donation is typically open to individuals who are over 18 years old, weigh at least 45 kilograms, and are in good health. People with certain medical conditions such as heart problems or diabetes may not be eligible to donate blood.
How often can I donate blood?
In most cases, you can donate blood once every three months. This allows your body enough time to replenish the blood you’ve donated and ensures your overall health and well-being.
What are the different types of blood donations?
There are four main types of blood donations: whole blood donation, plasma donation, platelet donation, and red cell donation. Each type serves specific medical purposes, such as providing whole blood for transfusions or extracting plasma to help patients with clotting disorders.
How does blood donation benefit me?
Blood donation offers several health benefits, including a free health checkup before donation, which can help identify any underlying health issues. Regular blood donation can also reduce the risk of heart attack, cancer, and liver diseases by lowering iron levels in the body.
How long does it take to recover after donating blood?
After donating blood, it typically takes about 24 hours for your body to replenish the lost blood volume. Red blood cells, which carry oxygen throughout the body, take approximately six weeks to fully replace. During this time, it’s essential to stay hydrated and avoid strenuous activities to support your body’s recovery process.
