If you are a person who has a sense of social awareness and a feeling of wanting to contribute something of value to your community, but think that you don’t have the time or resources to do so, or you are unsure how to go about it, then you should think about blood donation. Blood donation is one of the simplest, safest, and fastest ways to make a positive contribution to the lives of others. Unfortunately, blood donation also has a lot of myths associated with it, because of which many healthy people are dissuaded from donating blood. Here’s what you should know about this noble cause.
Why donating blood is important
From minor medical issues to accidents and more serious illnesses and surgeries, the requirement for blood in hospitals is almost never-ending. Blood that is donated can save a life, the life of a father, mother, son, daughter, grandparent, friend, etc. Blood cannot be stored for more than 40 days at a time, which means that hospitals need fresh blood frequently.
Myths and facts about blood donation
- If you donate your blood, your body will have less blood: This is not true as the body replenishes the blood very quickly after the donation. Also, not more than 450 mL of blood will be taken at each donation.
- Your health will suffer: All you need is a few minutes of rest after donating and a general rest for two days afterwards. Drinking enough of fluids will help your body replenish fluids lost. All the red blood cells are replaced by the body within 4 days and the white blood cells are replaced within 3 weeks, so your immunity or health is not at stake.
- Blood donation takes a lot of time: You don’t need to spend more than one hour for one donation.
- You can get infections or HIV from blood donations: Sterile needles and equipment are used for each donor. The needles are discarded after every use. At reputed hospitals and blood donation centers, the entire procedure is done with utmost care.
If you are a blood bank owner, you are a doing a great service to your community. However, it is essential that people can find your blood bank in times of need, either for donating blood or for taking blood. Signing up with Omihub solves all these problems for you as it makes it easier for people to find your bank.