Are you looking for a unique and powerful way to volunteer and help others? One that, in only around an hour, could save up to three lives? One that gives you free snacks?
Donating blood might be right for you.
Upon hearing the word “blood,” a lot of people get nervous. Will it hurt? How big are the needles? How long does it take to donate? Will I faint? And perhaps the biggest hurdle for many potential donors—when could I even find time to donate?
The new Redeemer University club “Redeemer Vessels” seeks to encourage and enable students to donate blood.
“I’ve volunteered with Canadian Blood Services before, but I’ve never donated blood,” said the club’s organizer, Miranda Brown. Her previous experience with Canadian Blood Services inspired her to help the Redeemer community get more involved.
For the first Redeemer Vessels group donation, the Canadian Blood Services Life Bus picked up eight Redeemer students on a Friday afternoon. The short ride to the donor centre was lighthearted as the two returning donors encouraged the six nervous first-time visitors.
I first got involved with donating blood in my first year at Redeemer when a staff member offered to give students rides to the donation clinic. This was my fourth donation now and the process went smoothly. In the hours before I donated, I filled out a questionnaire and made sure I drank plenty of water and ate a salty snack (it helps your blood volume while you’re donating). Upon arrival, I signed in on my phone and was donating blood within minutes of arriving.
Donating blood is not without its challenges, though. There are strict health requirements, and due to fluctuations in health, you may not be able to donate when you arrive at your scheduled appointment. My hemoglobin (an iron-containing protein) was at the minimum for being able to donate and not all the Redeemer students who came were able to donate due to similar low iron.
The problem is more common in women, who already are not eligible to donate as frequently as men due to a higher likelihood of anemia and other health complications.
Other possible ineligibilities include medications, travel, and vaccinations. And, of course, being hesitant about needles can certainly deter you from donating—though I and others found the finger-prick hemoglobin test done before the donation to be more painful than the donation itself.
Despite the many things that may disqualify you from donating blood and the squeamishness surrounding blood and needles, it is an opportunity worth looking into. Canadian Blood Services notes that “half of all Canadians will either need blood or know someone who will need blood at some point in their lives, yet only four percent of Canadians donate”. All blood types are needed year-round, and there is a particular need for new donors and increased ethnic diversity in donations.
Donating blood is a generally smooth, painless, and fast process—a simple way to make a big difference. The free snacks are great and the staff are caring. And it’s even more enjoyable to donate regularly with a group like the Redeemer Vessels.
If you are interested in donating blood, check your eligibility at www.blood.ca or contact the Redeemer Vessels club leader Miranda Brown at [email protected].