It’s estimated that 1 in 7 people entering a hospital needs blood. Nearly 20 years ago, that was me. In June 1999, my family was 15 minutes from home, coming around a curve, when we were hit head-on by another car. My daughter had to undergo emergency surgery and lost her spleen. I had to undergo multiple surgical procedures that required blood transfusions. But my family and I were very fortunate. I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for generous blood donors and the excellent medical care I received.
As we celebrate World Blood Donor Day this June 14, something that’s concerning to me is that of the 38 percent of Americans who are eligible to donate, less than 10 percent donate each year. And even more troubling is that many regular donors are aging out of the donor pool. Currently, about 60 percent of blood donations are made by people over 40 years old, and of these, three-quarters come from people over 50. Increasingly, blood services are reporting that there are too few young people stepping up to replace them. It’s not a surprising trend that blood services are seeing a lower turnout among people in their 20s and 30s given they become busy with their careers, more mobile and may not realize the need for blood donations.
What would happen if everyone eligible to donate decided they didn’t need to give because someone else would? We’d face a public health care crisis. While many advances have been made in the health care arena, one thing we have not yet accomplished is being able to artificially make blood. It’s only through generous blood donors that we can meet this need. To avoid a shortage, let’s consider three facts about blood and blood donation:
1. Blood is essential for treating chronic illnesses, surgeries and traumatic injuries.
Blood isn’t just for people like me who are involved in serious car accidents. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. This precious resource is used every day for the treatment of chronic diseases, such as certain cancers or sickle cell disease. It’s also used when mothers have difficulty during childbirth.
Whether the blood is used for emergencies or treatments, one thing that’s universal is that different types of blood need to be on the shelf beforehand.
[See: 9 Things You Didn’t Know About Sickle Cell Disease.]
2. Donated blood components have an expiration date.
Certain blood components have a short shelf life. Platelets are tiny blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding. Critical for certain cancer patients, platelets must be transfused within five days of donation. Red blood cells, which play a role in transporting oxygen throughout the body, are frequently given to trauma and surgery patients and last for about 42 days.
[Read: Here’s Why People Are Donating Their Poop to Science.]
3. Giving blood is easier than people think and it can save up to three lives.
It only takes a little over an hour to give blood. Let’s break down how that time is spent. The first few minutes are for registration, which includes signing in with your identification and reading information about the process. Then it takes between 15 to 20 minutes to cover your health history. This time is spent answering a few questions about how you feel and where you have traveled, and then staff will check your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin level. Hemoglobin is a measure of the protein in your blood that carries oxygen to help nourish tissues throughout your body. Iron is a part of hemoglobin. If your hemoglobin level is too low, you’ll be asked to return when it’s at the right level. Next, you’ll be seated comfortably while a pint of blood is drawn. The actual donation only takes eight to 10 minutes. After donating, you can enjoy a snack and a drink for 10 to 15 minutes before resuming your day.
[See: 14 Tips for Bicycling Safely on City Streets.]
Step Up to Ensure We Have an Ample Blood Supply
As we celebrate World Blood Donor Day this June 14, I urge all Americans who can donate blood regularly — particularly young adults — to do so.
Previous generations formed a habit of giving because they came of age during World War II and viewed it as their civic duty. Their children continued to donate, but less so. Blood services have noted that each subsequent generation has decreased in their commitment to blood donation activities.
I’m asking millennials and young adults to help change this trend. Please step up and give so we don’t face a public health care crisis due to a blood supply shortage. Something to keep in mind when you consider donating blood is that it’s the one true volunteer act you can do that can save lives. I thank the anonymous heroes who made it possible for me to be alive today. I encourage you to be the one to make that same difference in someone’s life.
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A Plea to Young Americans: Donate Blood originally appeared on usnews.com
