Blood Donation
Today, 83 Kiwis will face an emergency that won’t make the news. This week, New Zealand will need over 4,000 donations of blood in order to save lives. The need for blood and plasma donations is constant and urgent, yet less than 3 per cent of people in New Zealand are donors.
Unless you’re a doctor, donor or a serial killer, blood is something you’ve probably never given much thought about. However, for the thousands of recipients of blood donations each year, it is priceless. A single blood donation can save the lives of up to three people, and is used in treatments for people going through cancer, undergoing surgery, or people that have been in a traumatic accident.
“I’ve been a blood donor many times in the past, but in June 2021 I was in a major crash where I suffered multiple injuries and internal bleeding, and I found myself being the recipient of some blood units. I am now on the way to a full recovery; gradually returning to normal life,” says blood donor recipient, Maria.
For many people though, being prodded with a needle and drained of blood is something so far down the list of things to do, it will just never happen... and fair enough! Your body, your choice, right?? But for many people sitting in this boat, a little more information or a simple mindset readjustment may be all it takes to start a lifetime of saving lives.
Massey student Phoebe Littman says, “I used to be absolutely terrified of needles, and had so much anxiety around injections and having blood drawn. Then my nanna got cancer and started needing blood transfusions, and donating blood was one of the only things I felt I could do that would actually help her get better.
“I got over my fear of needles pretty much right away, right after my first donation, and I realised it wasn’t that scary at all. In the scheme of things, what’s a little prick with a needle compared to saving somebody’s life.”
In order to become a blood, plasma or platelet donor, you must pass an eligibility test to ensure it is safe for you to donate. Basic eligibility requirements include being over 16 years of age, weighing over 50kg and being in good physical health. Once your eligibility has been confirmed, the rest is simple!
“We try to make donating experiences as comfortable as possible! We always ensure that our donors have something to eat and drink and are constantly cared for throughout the process because if they aren’t, they might not want to come back again,” says Medical Professional Anya Ahuja.
“We have milestones, or checkpoints too. So, after your first, second, fifth, tenth donation and so on, you get special incentive rewards.”
As well as donating whole blood, New Zealand is in need of other donations such as plasma and platelets. Giving plasma is a process which involves the separation of red blood cells and platelets from plasma. The red blood cells and platelets are then returned to the donor's body, while the plasma is collected.
Plasma is used for a range of things including saving the lives of people that have lost blood through accidents or other trauma, boosting the immune system of people with low antibody levels, controlling autoimmune disorders and providing clotting factor concentrates for people with bleeding disorders.
“The plasma donation process takes longer than donating whole blood, one, because 2-3 times more plasma is collected than with whole blood, and two, because lots of that blood is then returned back to your body,” says Anya.
“Plasma donors often feel less tired after their donation because the red blood cells are returned to your body. This also means that you can donate plasma every 2-3 weeks compared to the 8 weeks for whole blood donations.”
So, if you’re looking for a selfless good deed or a quick and easy way to become a superhero, consider becoming a blood donor. It takes less than an hour out of your day, and can add many, many hours back on to somebody else’s life.
For more information or to sign up to your local blood drive, head to nzblood.co.nz.