# I just want to encourage you to go out and donate blood. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [January 11, 2007, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526 "2007-01-11T08:47:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bbs2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e495f1/32.png) [@bbs2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bbs2k)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 8:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/1 "2007-01-11T08:47:20Z")
Please consider taking the time to go out and donate blood soon. I know this is something you already know, but national supplies are running low and a lot of hospitals don’t have as much as we need. These past two weeks have seemed to get harder and harder for some reason, possibly due to the holidays. I know we’ve all been busy, but your donation really does go towards saving lives. If you live in a city with any large hospitals a lot of them have their own donation center that encourages walk-in visits (mine does). And you can always also check the Red Cross Website \<[http://www.redcross.org/](http://www.redcross.org/) \> for the nearest place you can go to donate. I found the site to be very easy to navigate. Also you can simply submit your name and number and they can call you to alert you of when they might be traveling to your town to setup a temporary donation area. I’ve donated many times (including yesterday), and I assure you that all efforts are made to make the visit a quick and pleasant one. Not only is there the benefit of knowing you helped someone, but a lot of places have great raffles and small gifts; and at the very least cookies 🙂 . Thank you for any consideration to donate. A lot of people need and appreaciate your help. (Or you could just raise your hand if you have donated recently… go on, you can brag.) PS: I realize that this is asking for charity of sorts, and I did get mod permission. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/2 "2007-01-11T09:17:16Z")
Coincidentally, I just signed up to do it for the first time two minutes ago. For UK-ites, [here’s your info](http://www.blood.co.uk/). ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/3 "2007-01-11T09:22:03Z")
Bugger. Fixy linky? ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Surok](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cc9497/32.png) [@Surok](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surok)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/4 "2007-01-11T09:50:34Z")
\ I did it while I was back in the UK over Christmas. I don’t donate over here because of hygiene concerns. When I’m in a country where I don’t have those concerns, I donate regularly. \ It gives you a nice warm fuzzy feeling. And this time, they gave me a Club Orange biscuit with my tea. Haven’t had one of those for years. Unless you have health problems, or are really afraid of needles, go and donate. As **bigbabysweets2000** says, your donation really does go towards saving lives. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/5 "2007-01-11T10:11:56Z")
I don’t get to give blood anymore. Pity, because I kicked ass at it. Never ate or drank afterwards and still never got even a little bit woozy, except that one time I went straight from giving blood to a one-hour laser game. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/6 "2007-01-11T10:42:52Z")
I used to simultaneously donate with a friend, but we fell out of co-ordination and I’ve yet to be back. I’m overdue by a month or so, when I’m sure I won’t need to drive all over the place, I’ll donate. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 10:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/7 "2007-01-11T10:58:22Z")
I haven’t been able to donate for a while; the last two times, the insides of my elbows got such bad bruises that any arm movement was… just… I mean, I’m sure many people here have hurt worse but… aaaaaaah… aaaaaah! AaaaAAAGHHH!!! Those are _not_ moans of pleasure. Dad was a gold donor, I never remember how many liters that means. And like everybody in my high school, I couldn’t wait to be 18 so I could donate blood and sign up for organ donation; one of my classmates had been waiting for a new kidney since we were 7. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/8 "2007-01-11T11:27:17Z")
I can’t give blood because I have a weird-ass phobia about things in my veins. If I could overcome it, I would give. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/9 "2007-01-11T12:06:04Z")
[QUOTE=Nava] I couldn’t wait to be 18 so I could donate blood and sign up for organ donation; one of my classmates had been waiting for a new kidney since we were 7. [/QUOTE] Yup, I’m signed up to organ donation like a Chinese inmate, anything and everything when I’m dead and not quite buried. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/10 "2007-01-11T13:42:37Z")
I’ve a reservation to donate blood next Wednesday. ---
**Author:** ![Edward\_The\_Head](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ce73a5/32.png) [@Edward\_The\_Head](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edward_The_Head)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/11 "2007-01-11T14:11:28Z")
I give every other month when they come around. Been doing that for the last few years. They even know me since I’m one of the few that comes in every time. You would think the four hours leave they give us would make more people come in. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/12 "2007-01-11T14:41:53Z")
Please do. They give you free cookies, too! More so those of you with uncommon blood types for your region. I used to donate regularly while in college as they sent me a reminder postcard everytime it was time for me to go back and being type O meant I didn’t have to stand in line. Now it is not as easy but my BIL gets hospitalized enough (!) that I still get to donate a few times a year. Please give blood (and playing rugby doesn’t count) ---
**Author:** ![justpassingthrough](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/bcef8e/32.png) [@justpassingthrough](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justpassingthrough)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/13 "2007-01-11T14:50:38Z")
I’ve been donating regularly for the last 20+ years, and about a year ago finally tried apheresis. My next appointment is Monday, so for the rest of this week I’ll be sure to eat iron- and vitamin C-rich foods. ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/14 "2007-01-11T15:35:55Z")
Consider donating platelets through apheresis as well, folks. For every pint of whole blood donated, only 1/8 of a unit of platelets can be extracted. That means, that in spite of type and cross-matching, there’s 8 peoples’ antibodies in there for a recipient to possibly have a bad reaction to rather than 1 person’s. It takes about 1.5 hours and you can donate every two weeks (in the US). The same restrictions apply as to donating whole blood, however. Wiki: [Apheresis - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apheresis) ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/15 "2007-01-11T15:56:58Z")
Can’t donate myself (medical issues here), Typo Knig can’t either (pesky melanoma) but we both used to whenever we could. GO FOR IT if you can!!! Shortly after Dweezil was born, Typo Knig donated. He said it was _great_. He got to sit and relax, and there were no screaming babies, or frantic wives, or zillion things to do around the house, for a full hour (or whatever). And he got cookies. So if you need a break from the world, go donate - it’s an hour of enforced relaxation, nice munchies… and you get to feel good about yourself too. Win-win situation 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/16 "2007-01-11T16:02:15Z")
I’m type O-, universal donor. But the Red Cross has decided that because I have sex with men I’m unclean, despite never having had a sexually transmitted disease of any kind ever. So fuck donating blood. ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/17 "2007-01-11T16:58:00Z")
In my youth I gave every chance I could. Now health issues prevent it. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/18 "2007-01-11T17:03:34Z")
[QUOTE=Otto] I’m type O-, universal donor. But the Red Cross has decided that because I have sex with men I’m unclean, despite never having had a sexually transmitted disease of any kind ever. So fuck donating blood. [/QUOTE] I’m with you **Otto**. ---
**Author:** ![Valgard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/7feea3/32.png) [@Valgard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Valgard)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/19 "2007-01-11T17:14:26Z")
I used to donate regularly - rare blood type (AB+) with a rare cofactor of some sort (don’t remember what). Also volunteered at the local blood bank in high school. Then came Mad Cow (“Mad? He’s positively LIVID!”). They revised the dates that you could have lived in England which would knock you out of donating and because I was in the UK 1979-1980 I’m now permanently deferred. Pisser, that. I enjoyed donating, it was free, relaxing and I got snacks. Was just shy of 5 gallons, too. ---
**Author:** ![kurilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ea5d25/32.png) [@kurilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kurilla)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2007, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526/20 "2007-01-11T17:30:35Z")
[QUOTE=bigbabysweets2000] Please consider taking the time to go out and donate blood soon. (Or you could just raise your hand if you have donated recently… go on, you can brag.) [/QUOTE] I last donated about 100 days ago; I’m on an automated donation schedule (I give the equivalent of two pints each time) and they call me every 120-odd days. Soon as they call again, I’m there. They told me I passed the gallon and a half mark one or two donations ago. I wish I could give more. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-just-want-to-encourage-you-to-go-out-and-donate-blood/387526.md?page=2)