My life changed significantly in February 2016 when I gave blood for the very first time. When I first thought about giving blood my mind thought of every excuse to not do it, for example, is this going to hurt and what if the nurse can not find my vein. After talking it over with my mom, I realized I was over analyzing everything.
When giving blood, there are actually many benefits to it that most people do not even realize or think about. For me, I found out my blood type, which I wanted to know for the longest time, and my cholesterol level. I overcame my fear of the unknown and my “what ifs” were answered through this process. Even though giving blood was scary and somewhat painful, in the sense my whole arm was bruised, knowing that I helped save a life, possibly many, brings a feeling of satisfaction that is empowering.
Just before the age of two, I was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease called Nephrotic Syndrome. My parents had to completely change my diet, monitor my protein levels within my urine, in addition to trying to get a two-year-old to take medication was a challenge. Every few weeks I had to have blood work done. This went on for two years when my parents were told to get a transplant list ready. The doctors told my parents there was only one other treatment option that they could try before a kidney transplant would be required, which was a chemo drug. A transplant could have required a blood transfusion, but thankfully after twelve weeks of being on this chemo drug, I was finally in remission at the age of four.
No matter how insignificant you think giving blood is, the little amount that you are losing can and will save at least on life. Knowing that I could have needed that one brave person to help prompt me to step up to the plate and give back something so very important, something many take for granted….a life.
With 41,000 blood donations needed daily and out of 38 percent of people who are able to give blood, o ly 10 percent actually donate blood. There is a shortage of dinars, and that effects how many people receive the blood that they need. There needs to be more people who are willing to donate blood like myself and many others in the world. Every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood. That is why it is important to donate blood. Who knows, that one pint that I donated could be helping someone right at this moment.
If there is anything that I can tell someone about giving blood, it is that if you educate yourself, giving blood to help a life is all worth it. It is the most gratifying feeling one can ever have. Please think about giving blood because one day you may be the one hoping that someone did just that. It could really make a difference between life and death….GIVE BLOOD!