World Blood Donor Day! Did you know donating blood benefits you?

“Give blood and keep the world beating” is the World Health Organisation’s theme for this year’s World Blood Donor Day celebrated annually on the 14th of June. Aimed at raising global awareness of the need for safe blood and blood products for transfusion, the day celebrates the critical contribution voluntary, unpaid blood donors make to national health systems.

The drive and focus for donating blood is always on the recipients but did you know that there are huge benefits for the blood donors too?

The Innovative Pharmaceutical Association of South Africa in support of World Blood Donor Day this year highlights five advantages of donating blood for the blood donors.

Reduced risk of heart attacks and liver ailment – The risk of heart and liver-related problems is caused by the iron overload in the body. Donating blood helps in maintaining the iron level in the body and thus reduces those risks.

Free Medical check-up – Every donor goes through a routine check-up prior to donation. Body temperature is checked along with blood pressure, haemoglobin and pulse. Blood is tested for 13 infectious diseases, including HIV, West Nile virus, hepatitis B and C and syphilis. It gives you a cost-free quick look into your health.

You save lives – You don’t have to be a superhero to save someone. Every time you donate one pint of blood it helps save three lives, so if you donate four times in a year, you end up saving 12 lives.

New blood cells – Once you donate blood, the body tries to restore the blood loss. This helps in the production of the new blood cells and maintains good health.

Lowers the risk of cancer – Cancer is a feared and deadly disease. By donating blood regularly, the iron level in the blood is balanced and the risk of cancer related to the liver, lungs, and intestine is reduced.

The blood donation process from the time you arrive until the time you leave takes less than an hour. The donation itself is only about 8-10 minutes on average, a few minutes that could mean years to someone else. So, go ahead and give blood today to save a life.

TG Facebook Comments