From the time I turned 16, I was an enthusiastic blood donor. My blood type isn’t particularly high demand, but I knew it would still help. I went every two months, donating gallons of blood and, on occasion, platelets and plasma as well. Then I started getting pregnant non-stop, and my blood donations came to an end… well, a temporary end. But blood donations are needed now more than ever, so it’s time to start again, and what better time to do so than National Blood Donor Month?
Richard Nixon designated January as National Blood Donor Month, and the timing was perfect. January is typically a slow month for blood donation, while the need is extremely high. Right here in Pennsylvania, there are severe blood shortages, which can mean the difference between life and death for people in hospitals across the country.
People who undergo surgeries often need blood transfusions, as well as people fighting illnesses like leukemia. It’s something that hits a little closer to home for me this year.
One of my closest friends has a son with Down syndrome, like me, and our sons are about the same age. We both knew that our kiddos were at a higher risk of getting leukemia, so of course, like many other Down syndrome moms, every rash or unexplained bruise was something to be worried about. But the risk levels out after the age of five. We thought we were safe. We thought wrong.
My friend Leah’s son was diagnosed with leukemia last year. This means he gets platelets on a regular basis, and it reminded me that I, once again, need to become a blood donor. My blood, my platelets, can’t help Leah or her son specifically — they live near Chicago — but I can help someone else. I can help lessen the shortage. And for the families who receive this precious gift from us, the donors, it isn’t something they overlook.
“He needed more platelets — every few days he does — and I’m watching him rest during his transfusion and thinking about how some kind hearted person sat in a chair for three hours donating platelets so my baby could have them,” Leah said. “Every time he receives blood products I think of that and I feel so connected to those people who are saving my child.”
If you’ve never been a blood donor before, you may not know what to expect; that’s OK! There are four different kinds of blood donations.
- Whole blood: A whole blood donation takes about one hour. It has the most uses, as it can be donated in its entire form, or separated into red blood cells, platelets, and plasma. Whole blood is often given to trauma and surgical patients, and you can donate roughly every two months.
- Platelets: Donating platelets helps people fighting cancer, or receiving organ transplants. Platelets are the part of your blood that create clots, so you can stop bleeding. They take significantly longer — up to three hours — because a machine will separate the platelets from your blood, along with some plasma, and then return your red blood cells and the plasma back to you. One platelet donation can equal several transferable units, while it takes five whole blood donations to create just one usable unit of platelets. Platelets can be donated weekly.
- Power red donation: This kind of donation takes about 1.5 hours, because all that’s being taken are your red blood cells. A machine will separate the red blood cells out, and then return the plasma and platelets back to you. These can be used for trauma patients, newborns, emergency blood transfusions for women giving birth, and any other kind of blood loss. These can only take place three times a year.
- Plasma: Plasma is often given to trauma, burn and shock patients, and can have many different beneficial uses. Plasma donations take a little over an hour, and again, is collected through a machine that separates the plasma and then returns everything else back to you. You can donate plasma monthly.
If you are ready to help save a life by becoming a blood donor, you can find a local donation site through the American Red Cross, the Central Pennsylvania Blood Bank, the Miller-Keystone Blood Center, or the Pennsylvania Department of Health. It may sound a little scary if you’ve never done it before, but I can promise you, it’s so worth it. After all, how many other times can you say that a few hours of your time literally saved someone’s life?
