One of the most common medical donations – and also one of the most needed– is blood. Countless organizations and hospitals across the globe host blood drives and promote blood donations with awareness campaigns to encourage them.

There are many uses for donated blood and so many people who it, you can be sure your blood is going to good use.

When to Donate

The times during which the majority of people donate blood are during awareness campaigns. The American Red Cross, for example, has designated January as Blood Donation Month. They use their wide-reaching publicity to promote the practice and achieve great annual success in getting new donors to provide blood. Elsewhere in the world, different countries choose different times to emphasize blood donations. The Philippines, for example, practices Blood Donation Month during July, and the Filipino government encourages its citizens to donate this hugely important resource.

Regardless of where you are in the world, donating blood should be done continuously, not just once. You should also donate throughout the year rather than only during specially designated times. Blood cells are only useful while they are alive and so they have a limited shelf life (typically a month to a month-and-a-half).

While it is rare that donated blood gets wasted (the need for donated blood is so great, there is almost always a recipient waiting), organizations are even more desperate during the times of the year they are not promoting blood donation. The American Red Cross, for example, cannot save blood donated in January for the summer when donations may be in shorter supply.

A Dire Need

Did you know that more than 44,000 blood donations are needed daily? Even with thousands upon thousands of individuals across the country generously donating their blood, there remains a dire need for more. Emergencies, such as car accidents, will often require large amounts of donated blood but the use of blood is not limited to life-or-death moments. Individuals suffering from diseases such as sickle cell anemia, require constant and repeated blood transfusions as part of their treatment.

Who Can Donate?

The best type of blood to donate is type O because of its compatibility with other blood types. Type O-negative is especially important for use in ambulances and emergency rooms when a nurse does not have enough time to determine the patient’s blood type prior to administering the donated blood.

Due to the strict requirements that ensure a donor’s blood is sufficiently healthy and free of risk, only thirty-eight percent of the population is eligible to donate. Those who are able to donate absolutely should as often as possible. Those interested in reading further about the need for blood donations and the lives they save should check out the American Red Cross website for some surprising statistics and information about donating.

Give Back and Help Someone

The only way that donated blood can stay in steady supply is through continuous donations. There may come a day when you need to rely on a donation so do not hesitate to act now. If you are eligible to donate, contact a medical center like FamilyCord, and ask how often you can donate.

About Author : This is a guest post by Marianne Ross, a freelance writer who shares her thought on various blogs.
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