Superheroes Do Bleed

This is adapted from the original article published on teckro.com.

Superheroes fight for those less able. Blood donor volunteers do the same – they just don’t wear a cape.

Today on World Blood Donor Day, I would like to recognize all those who give the gift of life and hopefully inspire more people to volunteer.

This year’s slogan for World Blood Donor Day is “give blood and keep the world beating.” Steady blood supplies are needed for all kinds of purposes – for urgent care like trauma or burns, surgeries and transplants, and for those with illnesses such as cancer.

It is important that we do not take for granted a steady supply of safe blood, particularly given that some parts of the world struggle to meet this basic human need.

Consider that in the US, someone needs blood every two seconds, yet only 3% of the eligible population donate blood, according to the American Red Cross. The situation in the UK is similar with single-digit participation from those eligible, yet the NHS estimates that it needs 400 new donors per day to meet demand.

But let’s face it – you are giving up one of the 10 blood units in your body when you donate. And it is likely for a stranger who you will never meet. This is why we need to inspire and motivate each other to bleed for one another.

I’m fortunate to have two people in my life that inspire me to schedule my next donation appointment. They represent two very different types of donations, so their life-saving effects are also different.

The Lifeblood of Emergency Services

My father is O negative, which is in the highest demand for donations. This blood type is known as the “universal donor” or “first responder” because everyone can receive it, which is especially critical in trauma situations where the blood type is not known. Yet, it is rare and occurs in roughly 3% of the world’s population.

My dad started donating in his late teens, and he’s given blood ever since. He’s quite a humble guy, so when I asked him for this blog why he does it, he shrugged and said, “It’s a way to give back. I give because I can.”  

Helping Kids with Cancer

Tom, the father of my dearest, lifelong friend Tracy, also started giving blood in his teen years. One day while donating, he noticed a different kind of collection underway for another man in the clinic. Inquiring about it, Tom learned that this person was donating platelets.

Platelets are necessary to form clots and stop bleeding. Donations are especially needed for people undergoing chemotherapy treatments. Unlike whole blood, platelets have a very short shelf life and must be used within a few days of collection.

It happens that Tom is B positive, which is one of the blood types suitable for platelet donation. He decided to switch to giving platelets and has been donating ever since. So far in his life, Tom has donated 435 pints of platelets.

Considering one donation of platelets can help up to 12 kids, Tom’s generosity has meant a lot to many families and kids with cancer. He doesn’t know for sure which kids he’s helped, but seeing their grinning faces at Children's Hospital in Boston where he donates is enough for him.

Let’s Aim High: 100%

On this World Blood Donor Day, we need to encourage everyone who can to volunteer. I’m hopeful that the mainstream awareness of medical volunteers with the pandemic – both for people to participate in clinical trials and donate plasma – will increase more diverse groups of volunteers for both research and blood donation. I would love to see 100% of eligible people regularly donate because as my father put it: “If people don’t give blood, we are in a world of hurt.”

There is no better time than today to get started. Below are resources for blood donation in the US, the UK and Ireland:

• American Red Cross: https://www.redcrossblood.org/
• UK NHS Blood and Transplant: https://www.blood.co.uk/
• Irish Blood Transfusion Service: https://www.giveblood.ie/