THE SILHOUETTE • C7
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2011
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Give the gift of blood with Partners for Life Extend an arm with the McMaster Students Union and Canadian Blood Services Megan McEwen SHEC Media
Is saving a life one of the items on your bucket list? No need to wait until you’re as old as Morgan Freeman to start! Giving blood is something you can do right now, and continue doing throughout your life in order to save lives. People who may need blood include accident victims, organ donors and recipients, those undergoing surgery and those who have an ongoing medical condition such as sickle cell disease, which requires regular blood transplants. Donating blood is safe, easy and can be done in under an hour. Your donation full utilized because blood is processed into three parts and can save up to three lives. And best of all, blood donation clinics come to campus regularly, making it easier than ever to donate. Canadian Blood Services is the organization responsible for maintaining the safety and the quantity of our national blood supply. Since blood cannot be preserved, it must be donated on a continual basis to fulfill the needs of those who require blood in the Canadian population. When you arrive at the
clinic, a volunteer will check your identification and provide you with an information package and an eligibility questionnaire. Following this, a nurse will do some brief routine medical tests, such as taking blood pressure and testing the amount of hemoglobin in your blood. This is done to make sure that it is safe to take your blood. There are some require-
People who may need blood include accident victims, organ donors and recipients, those undergoing surgery and those who have an ongoing medical condition.” ments to ensure that you are eligible, namely that you are between the ages of 17 and 61, that you weigh at least 110 lb. and that you have not had any disqualifying procedures in the last six months. When you donate blood, one unit is collected, which is equal to about 500 mL, or a medium-sized milk container.
A new, sterile needle is used to ensure you are not put at risk for any diseases. You will be able to relax in a reclining chair, and are monitored for duration of the donation, which is approximately 15 minutes. If you wish, a friend may accompany you to support you while you donate. The amount of blood removed is not dangerous to your health, so you will be able to quickly recover. To ensure that your body has adequate time to replenish the donated blood cells, you must wait at least 56 days before you make another donation. The McMaster Students Union (MSU) has entered in a partnership with Canadian Blood Services called Partners for Life. The student population has pledged to donate 1000 units of blood this school year. You can make an appointment to streamline the process by coming into the Student Health Education Center (SHEC), located on the second floor of the student centre. If you are looking for more information on donating blood, do not hesitate to come into SHEC and speak with one of our volunteers. Or call the Canadian Blood Services information line at 1-888-2DONATE.
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