Donate Blood, Save Lives – World Blood Donor Day 2019
June fourteenth is recognized annually as World Blood Donor Day. In Belize, it is used to create awareness on the value of blood, as well as encourage voluntary donations to the National Blood Bank in the country. Today at the Central Health Region Compound in Belize City, the Belize Red Cross, in collaboration with the Blood Bank, hosted persons who donated the gift of life. News Five’s Duane Moody reports.
Duane Moody, Reporting
Blood saves lives – we’ve heard this phrase far too often, but today, a number of Belizeans made their way over to the Central Health Region Compound to freely give blood, which is used for life-saving surgeries in times of trauma, deliveries by c-section and transfusions.
Ashley Ott
Nurse Ashley Ott, Volunteer, Belize Red Cross
“Today is a day to rally the people to come out and donate blood. It’s set on the calendar. People can look forward to it, clear their schedules to come out and donate blood. You can go to any other hospital or lab in the country of Belize today for World Blood Donation Day. I know Western Regional and Southern Regional are participating, but today, we are at the National Blood Bank so that’s where we are at today for the Red Cross.”
As it currently stands, the stock of the various types of blood at the National Blood Bank is not where it should be. The goal is to have one percent of the population voluntarily donating blood approximately four times yearly. But to date, the number of voluntary donors is low and the struggle is normally with replacement donors.
Deon Young
Deon Young, Supervisor, National Blood Transfusion Service
“Voluntary donors donate blood every three months while the replacement donors are those people who come back to actually donate for someone who the bank had provided a unit or two to. Blood is something that we cannot replicate; it is always in demand. It is something that we need. And in light of all that is happening, the supply that we have is constantly in need of replenishment. So that is to say that we are always in need of donations. What would be ideal is through education campaigns enlightening the public and let them be aware of the need for donation. Thereby as we educate them we would like to reach the hundred percent voluntary donations as in comparison to replacement donors.”
Donating blood, however, is not something that one readily agrees to do – whether due to fear of needles or for simply not knowing the value of your blood. The process is simple: after you go through a screening and questionnaire, a team of technicians, collect your blood.
Nurse Ashley Ott
“You would come and we would hope that you would have eaten some breakfast. If not, you could go get a snack and then come back. You would go through a screening process. Asking questions about your lifestyle, your health history; if you are in good health, medications, if you had tattoo in the last year, if you’ve had cancer. But it is all confidential and so it is not shared with anybody. Then they will take a little needle and prick your finger and figure out what type of blood you are or whether you are anaemic—meaning if you have enough blood to give. I have heard throughout the country, I need my blood and I can’t give blood, but you don’t know if you come in and check. Then after that you will sit in a nice reclining chair in air condition, and you will put your feet up, kick the head of your chair back and then you will have a needle inserted in your arm. The process takes about ten minutes for them to collect the blood and then you get to sit there and have a treat and then you’ll be on your way and you’ll be a hero.”
Duane Moody for News Five.
