Christmas and New Year’s eve are times for family and friends, but for some it means staying in the hospital in need of care.
While we like to give gifts to our family and friends, we can give the gift of life by donating blood. The process takes one hour or less and by doing so others will be helped.
When you come in to a blood service centre you are greeted by a friendly receptionist who asks for photo ID and will also ask whether you want to donate platelets, plasma or blood.
You are advised to eat something before coming, but they have a basket of snacks and juice if you need it. The receptionist fills in additional pertinent information. She will print out a piece of paper that has a bar code and sends you on to the next station where you scan that bar code into a tablet.
The tablet has a questionnaire that determines if it is a good day for you to donate blood. After this station you go to the next station where you are given a number and asked to read a small pamphlet on what to expect while you wait.
When your number is called you will be escorted into a small, private room where your blood pressure will be taken and then the answers of the previous questionnaire will be clarified by a qualified attendant. The attendant will prick your finger for a test to see if your blood is viable for donating that day.
After this step, you are taken to the blood donation area. This area is where comfy reclining chairs are situated. The attendant you are assigned to will see which arm will be the best for taking blood from. Once this is determined, blood will be taken, flowing into into a little bag that is rocked gently back and forth until it is full. An alarm sounds when it is full. The tube is removed from your arm and you are cleaned up and a bandage is put on your arm that indicates that you are a donor.
The next step is to the kitchen area where you are given a choice of different juices and snacks. When you feel OK you are free to leave.
On this day donor Ray Kirkland came to make his 600th donation. He was donating platelets with a blood type of A positive.
The whole staff are kind and courteous and make the experience rewarding. A donation card will be sent in the mail to you with the date when you can donate again. It is such an easy experience. Will you donate by giving the gift of life this holiday season?
The Canadian Blood Service is located at 1206 Emerson Ave. in Saskatoon and 2571 Broad St. in Regina. They also have mobile units that come to various other areas in the province. Call 1-888-2-DONATE to see when they will next be in your area.
