Give Blood

I was on The Guardian online via Facebook catching up on the latest stories and information and I do have a love for The Guardian, it’s my favourite paper.  I saw the new Give Blood campaign and I loved it, the advert says 'no one is too busy to receive blood'.  It simple yet effective because its true and I am a regular blood donor have been doing it since I was 18, sometimes I have to wait a few months to go again because I have been to Asia a couple of times this year and as a precaution you must wait 3 months before you give blood again.

Anyway back to my point, I’m drifting off here, I think everyone should give blood and do it on a regular basis.  I know there are a lot of people who in my eyes it really does make a difference to, there are people who need blood transfusions regularly to stay alive and there are incidents all the time where people need blood to save their lives.  It doesn’t take much at all just half an hour of your times and you’re finished.  Ok I am aware there are people with phobias of needles and don’t like giving blood, yes I have heard all the excuses but you won’t make them when the blood is there to save your life.  I am aware there are some religions out there whose followers would not choose to receive blood and are not allowed to give blood, I am at no way trying to be disrespectful of your beliefs this is just my opinion.

In another way I am hypocritical because I say this about blood donation but I would never donate my organs due to my religious beliefs and the fact I don’t think I want someone to take out my organs after I have passed away.  I would donate my kidney if someone needed it while I was alive but don’t want anyone to do that to me after I have passed away, slightly strange I know.  But from my beliefs the body has to be buried as soon as it can, within 24 hours if possible.

To me personally organ donation and blood donation are two completely different things.  They both save people’s lives I agree and this is what everyone says to me when I say I don’t want to donate my organs.  The body makes new blood constantly and in 48 hours or so whatever you have given has been reproduced by your body and it will take an eight weeks for the red blood cells that you donated to be reproduced.  Your body does not have any physical changes and you can go about your life as before.  If I donated my organs after I died I would not be complete when everyone is re-awoken for judgement day and their eternal fate in the hereafter is decided.  I know some people don’t believe this and I do and this is why I would not donate my organs.

Back to the point I really just wanted to make - go donate blood and do it now.  I swear it does not hurt, just a little prick when they put the needle in. :)