By: Asena Acar Staff Writer
MC, Red Cross Blood Drive a Reminder of Those in Need
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion. A total of 30 million blood components are transfused every year in the U.S. alone. This tremendous need is the reason why the American Red Cross holds blood drives, like the one they have brought to Montgomery College.
According to Americasblood.org, one in every seven people that enter a hospital needs a blood transfusion, and these blood drives are held often enough to fulfill that need for blood. With less than 10 percent of the population actually donating blood per year, the need for blood is always rising. We can help just by giving a single pint of blood.
“It’s really gratifying to know that a small thing like donating blood can help someone so much,” said second year MC student Theresa Bouslog.
With so many world tragedies like the earthquakes in Haiti, Chile and Japan, people are always on the lookout to help by donating money to these causes. However, while these earthquakes are serious and the civilians that suffer from them do need monetary support, they can make us forget about the millions of U.S. patients that need blood transfusions.
When told that every two seconds, an American needs blood, sophomore Kelly Camp said, “I should have been donating more. In the past year, I’ve done it, like, twice maybe.”
Bouslog has several family members who are on dialysis, one in particular who is diabetic and has been on dialysis for 13 years. Dialysis patients frequently need blood transfusions, though they only need small amounts at a time. For example, patients on kidney dialysis need a small transfusion monthly. Bouslog described the person’s condition as getting “progressively worse,” and “scary.”
In addition, sophomore Nicole White said that her grandmother is a kidney failure patient who is on dialysis three days a week. “[Donating blood is] one of those things that you just need to do,” said White. “I know other people who [also] do [dialysis].”
According to Hopkinsmedicine.org, more than 400,000 Americans require dialysis. Most, if not all, of these people need blood from donors to be able to have dialysis.
Need another reason to give blood? It will make you feel better about yourself. One reason some people do not donate their blood is that they think their blood is not the right kind of blood needed.
However, this is hardly legitimate. If one has a common blood type, then there will be more people needing that blood. If one has a less common blood type, then there are fewer donors of that blood type available.
Whether one’s blood is helping a dialysis patient or saving a person’s life, that generous donation will go a long way. If you did not get a chance to donate blood here at MC, there are plenty of other blood drives in the area that you can participate in.
Just think about the difference you can make in another person’s life just by taking 10 minutes to give one pint of blood.