A few weeks ago, I turned 17. This might not be a huge deal to some, but I was ecstatic. Turning 17 meant coming of age… to give blood! According to the Canadian Blood Services, one in every two people will either need blood or know someone who will. As they put it, “Wouldn’t you hope there was someone donating for you?”
A “blood bus” comes to our school about once a month to take willing students over 17 downtown to the Canadian Blood Services Clinic. At the beginning of November, I signed up to donate for the first time.
Before
You’re encouraged to drink as many fluids as possible. I had my usual water bottle, and a few juice boxes, and I still don’t think that was enough. Next time I’m going to aim to drink at least 2 litres for three days before my appointment. You should also eat as much as possible throughout the day, including a hearty breakfast. Dontaing blood can be hard on your body and blood sugar levels, and it’s important to make the process easier on yourself by taking these precautions.
At the Clinic
I underwent a very thorough screening process. None of the factors applied to me, so I was cleared to donate, but I was glad to see that the clinic took the matter of safe blood seriously. If there was even the slightest chance you had an illness transmissible through blood, you were given every opportunity to back out, or anonymously declare your blood unsafe.
Donating
While the initial prick of the needle hurt, I’ve long since forgotten the pain. You sit for about fifteen minutes, as you give blood, and are constantly cared for by clinic employees. I was asked if I felt okay about a hundred times. It felt so good to give, looking up at the posters saying I was saving up to three lives with that donation. Once I was done, I was ushered to a recovery area where I could have as many cookies, cupcakes, cans of pop, and juice boxes as I wanted. I waited for about fifteen minutes, eating to restore my blood sugar levels and making sure I was alright, and then I was free to go!
Meeting Others
There was a man at the blood donation station next to me who had given blood over forty times. A boy in my grade, just a few months older, was already donating blood for the third time. A friend of the family who came to dinner that night showed me his blood donor card, which verified that he’d given blood 83 times! I was overwhelmed by this, until my mother said I was young, and had many years left to reach a donation count so high.
“Last year over 37,000 teenagers donated blood at Canadian Blood Services donor clinics – these young donors represented almost 9 per cent of all blood donors – that’s a pretty significant contribution! This year we’re challenging young donors to continue giving and to help recruit the new blood donors we need to keep pace with the demand for blood in Canada.” -Young Blood for Life, click the image for more information on getting your school involved.
I’m proud to see a movement in youth to save lives like this. It’s so easy, and it means so much!
Are you eligible?
Click here for more information on eligibility.
This Christmas, why don’t you give the gift of life by making an appointment to give blood?