Donation Day

For many years, I've been donating. I donate my clothes to our local domestic violence shelter. Every time I move, I donate nearly half of what I own to Revivals. I donate my unwanted books to the library. I donate my time to causes about which I feel passionate.

Today, I donated plasma for the first time.

I have actually been donating whole blood for several years now. I started donating shortly after my younger brother's National Guard unit was activated and sent to Afghanistan, but I was introduced to the concept of blood donation by my dad, who used to take Levi and me with him to the local blood bank. Always the teacher, Dad would tell us all about the process, how important it was to let them take a little bit of your blood to help other people who need it, and assure us that "No, it doesn't hurt a bit."

Alfred, the British volunteer who calls me every fifty-six days to remind me that I am eligible to donate again, first mentioned the idea of plasma donation on my voicemail. "Would I consider plasma donation?" he asked. He told me that because of my blood type, I am a universal plasma donor.

So today, after arriving at The Community Blood Bank, I signed a slightly different consent form, and Joseph hooked me up. Donating plasma, I discovered, is much like donating whole blood: it requires only one needle and you have to squeeze the little ball every 3-5 seconds. Plasma, however, takes longer to donate because the whole blood has to be pumped into a special machine where the plasma is seperated from the red blood cells. Then, the machine pumps the red blood cells back into the donor, through the same needle! Three cycles and a little saline injection later, I was all done. It didn't hurt a bit.

For various reasons, only 65% of Americans are eligible to donate blood or blood products. Of those who can, less than 5% actually donate. Today, I learned that my local blood bank currently has no blood product reserve. In fact, there was already someone waiting for the plasma I was donating. As soon as the appropriate screening tests can be completed, my plasma will be transfused into someone who needs it.

According to the American Red Cross, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. In fact, more than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day. Since blood cannot be manufactured, human donors are the only source of blood products.

If you're eligible, please consider blood donation. You'll be doing an honorable thing, and your local blood bank probably gives free cookies (mine does!).