Saving a human life does not automatically make a person some mysterious savior that walks among us. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t feel good about donating blood. Go out of your way and save a life.
It’s easy to let yourself fall into a bubble of self-importance. Students walk through campus with headphones in and blissfully ignore their surroundings. These surroundings may happen to include a blood drive that could potentially alter the course of a person’s life. Somebody that you might not even know. Perhaps you are thinking about becoming a blood donor and you want to know if giving blood really makes a difference. Let me tell you, it does. Don’t miss the chance to donate blood next time. Also, you can still go to any blood center and donate blood there.
Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood, according to the American Red Cross. It is essential for surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses and traumatic injuries. Whether a patient receives whole blood, red cells, platelets or plasma, this lifesaving care starts with one person making a generous donation.
The Red Cross provides about 40 percent of our nation’s blood and blood components which all come from generous donors. But supply can’t always meet demand because only about three percent of age-eligible people donate blood yearly.
Each year, an estimated six million people in the U.S. donate blood. About 45 percent of people in the U.S. have Group O, positive or negative, blood; the proportion is higher among Hispanics (57 percent) and African Americans (51 percent).
Almost everyone during their life will know someone who needs a blood transfusion. They may be car accident or trauma victims, cancer or transplant patients or people with sickle cell disease or other blood disorders. Please don’t be selfish.
Doing something for free for somebody is never attractive but at times necessary. If blood donation centers really want students to donate then they should offer up more incentives. It doesn’t even have to be anything super expensive. We love free stuff here.
Everyone, especially college students, enjoy anything free. Clothes, food or even extra credit from a professor will prompt more students to donate blood.
If you need to boost your donations take this approach, we don’t mind free swag or food. Although just knowing you are making a difference should be enough of an award.
In the end it’d be better to promote a culture of giving because one day we may need it ourselves.