LAST weekend was quite a heavy one for a friend of mine. It started like any ordinary day, except she was dealing with her baby’s fever and cough, which had been persisting for quite some time.

 

While examining her daughter, she noticed a few blood clots on her baby’s foot, and though she didn’t think anything of it, just to be sure, she took a photo and sent it to her child’s pediatrician.

 

Upon seeing the photo, her pediatrician immediately instructed them to go to the hospital for a blood test, the result of which indicated a need for the child to be confined for further tests and a blood transfusion. What was an already stressful situation was made even worse by the fact that her daughter’s blood type is O negative (O-), quite rare in our country—so rare that the hospital, not even the Philippine Red Cross (PRC), had any stock.

 

Messages were posted on social media and Viber and, fortunately, the response was immediate. Most people did not share the patient’s blood type, but generously offered to come to the hospital to donate their blood to “swap” for the patient. Everyone offered prayers.

 

Fortunately, there was a match, and a kindhearted Australian friend and her husband got up in the middle of the night to go to the hospital and do what they could for a family they had never even met. As luck would have it, the amazing staff of the PRC also found one unit of blood, which meant the baby had a backup supply.

 

 Good Samaritans

 

The next day, more good Samaritans came to give blood. In the end, the search for blood donors was a success, with the baby having more than enough and the hospital having a little extra left over for someone who might need it in the future.

 

What this reminded us of is the importance of donating blood. For some reason, young college students always seem to find the time and opportunity to donate blood, but as we get older, it becomes a task that we really don’t give enough attention to.

 

This weekend was a wake-up call on the supreme importance of donating blood and making sure that our blood banks are always full and ready to save lives! This is especially true if you have a rare blood type that is hard to find. After this experience, I have a renewed sense of urgency to find a way to donate blood, and to do so regularly.

 

In preparation, I brushed up on the basics of donating blood and want to share them with all of you, as I urge everyone to make time to donate. We sometimes take for granted the effects of what we feel are small actions, but to a patient on the brink of death, your donated blood could be just what he or she needs to survive.

 

I am so pleased to see that our PRC website has everything you need to know about donating blood, and is so easy to use. You can type https://www.redcross.org.ph/get-involved/give-blood/how-to-donate for details.

 

In times of emergency, there is not much you can do to prepare, and you just have to hope that your blood is suitable for donation and your body is in shape. However, if you are donating at a time when there is no urgent need, you may want to prepare yourself ahead of time in order to make sure that your body and blood will pass screening.

 

Before going for a screening, check if you are a good candidate to be a blood donor. You must:

 

1. Be in reasonably good health;

 

2. Be between 18 and 65 years old. Minors ages 16 and 17 may also donate blood, but need parental consent;

 

3. Have a body weight of at least 110 pounds; and

 

4. Have a blood pressure of between 90-160 mmHg systolic and 60-100 mmHg diastolic.

 

If you can check off all of these, then you can prepare yourself by:

 

1. Getting enough rest and sleep the day before;

 

2. Refraining from drinking alcohol at least 24 hours before your scheduled blood donation;

 

3. Refraining from taking any medicine at least 24 hours before;

 

4. Making sure that you eat well and properly before you go; and

 

5. Keeping yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

 

Donor registration form

 

Upon arriving for your blood transfusion, it is a fairly simple process that should last no more than 10 minutes.

 

1. Have your weight checked.

 

2. Complete the donor registration form honestly and thoroughly.

 

3. Check blood type and hemoglobin level.

 

4. Have a physical examination by a doctor to check your blood pressure and other vitals.

 

If the doctor sees that you are in good condition and that your body is capable of donating blood, then you can proceed for blood extraction. The doctor will decide how much blood to take from you, which will depend on your weight and blood pressure.

 

Upon completion of your blood donation, rest for 10 minutes and drink water or juice.

 

There are no adverse effects to donating blood; however, immediately after, it is recommended that you refrain from stooping, engaging in strenuous activities, lifting heavy objects, driving big vehicles and operating heavy machinery. If you feel dizzy, find a place to lie down and put your feet up in an elevated position. Drink plenty of fluids and soon, you will feel better.

 

According to the PRC, “On any given day, more than 2,000 units of blood are transfused to patients in our country.” Can you imagine how many people are in need of blood in surgeries and emergencies nationwide? And this means that the PRC, which supplies over one-fourth of the country’s blood donation needs, as well as nearby hospitals, needs all the volunteers it can get to be able to continue supplying blood and saving lives!

 

There’s no time to lose. Let us not wait for an emergency before we do something. You never know whose life you might save with your donation.

 

You can donate blood to the blood bank of any nearby hospital or to the Red Cross. You can reach the Philippine Red Cross by calling 7902330 or 2382, or 5270861. You can also visit them at 37 Edsa cor. Boni Ave., or visit the PRC National Blood Center at Bonifacio Drive, Port Area, Manila.