Blood Donation

• Have a good meal at least 3 hours before donating blood
• Accept the snacks offered to you after the donation, it is vital that you have them. You are recommended to have a good meal later
• Avoid smoking on the day before donating. You can smoke 3 hours after donation
• You will not be eligible to donate blood if you have consumed alcohol 48 hours before donation

• "I will feel drained and tired after donating" - You will not feel drained or tired if you continue to drink fluids and have a good meal
• "I cannot resume normal activities" - You can resume all your normal activities, though you're asked to refrain
• "I will have low blood" - If you are okayed to donate by the doctor you will still have surplus blood after the donation
• "I can't take alcohol..." - You can on the next day
• "It will be painful while donating" - No, you will not feel any pain
• "I will feel dizzy and may faint" - You will not faint or feel uncomfortable after donating blood.
• "I may get AIDS!" - No! Make sure disposable syringes are used and all measures are taken to keep you germ free.
• "My blood is common. I don't think there will be demand for it" - That is why the demand for your type is greater than for rare types.

Source:BharatBloodBank

• Blood is the life-maintaining fluid that circulates through the body's heart, arteries, veins and capillaries
• Blood carries to the body nourishment, electrolytes, hormones, vitamins, antibodies, heat, and oxygen
• Blood carries away from the body waste matter and carbon dioxide
• Blood fights against infection and helps heal wounds, keeping you healthy
• Blood makes up about 7% of your body's weight
• A newborn baby has about one cup of blood in his or her body
• White blood cells are the body's primary defence against infection
• Granulocytes, a type of white blood cell, roll along blood vessel walls to search and destroy bacteria
• Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues
• There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood
• Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system
• Blood platelets help clotting and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live

Source:BharatBloodBank

Blood is the living fluid that all life is based on. Blood is composed of 60% liquid part and 40% solid part. The liquid part called Plasma, made up of 90% water and 10% nutrients, hormones, etc. is easily replenished by food, medicines, etc. But the solid part that contains RBC (red blood cells), WBC (white blood cells) and Platelets take valuable time to be replaced if lost.

This is where you come in. The time taken by a patients body to replace it could cost his/her life. Sometimes the body might not be in a condition to replace it at all.

As you know blood cannot be harvested it can only be donated. This means only you can save a life that needs blood.

Every year India requires 40 million units of 250cc blood out of which only a meager 500,000 of blood units are available.

Source:BharatbBloodBank

http://www.psbc.org/home/index.htm

http://www.nybloodcenter.org/index.jsp

http://www.blood.co.uk/

http://www.transfusionguidelines.org/

http://www.sanbs.org.za/

http://www.who.int/bloodsafety/en/

http://www.ifrc.org/WHAT/health/blood/index.asp

http://www.bloodservices.ca/