BE A HERO, SAVE OTHERS
Click to Enlarge
Do YOU KNOW?
FACTS ABOUT BLOOD:
Who Needs Donated Blood?
Blood donations are used every day for surgery patients, cancer patients, accident victims, bone marrow recipients, burn patients and organ transplant recipients, just to name a few of the beneficiaries.
A heart surgery patient
needs up to 6 units of red blood cells and 1 platelet transfusion.
A liver transplant recipient
needs up to 20 units of red blood cells, 25 units of plasma and 1 platelet transfusion.
A cancer patient
needs up to 8 platelet transfusions per week.
A sickle cell anemia patient
needs 2 to 10 units of red blood cells per treatment.
A marrow transplant recipient
needs up to 20 units of red blood cells and 25 platelet transfusions.
A trauma victim
May need up to 50 units of red blood cells.
Cancer patients account for almost 20 percent of all blood transfusions given.
One in seven people will need a blood transfusion sometime in their lifetime. Blood needs to be donated, tested, ready and available for transfusion before it's needed.
The Facts About Blood
How Much Blood Does Your Body Have?
Blood makes up about 7 percent of a person's weight.
An adult body of average weight has between 12 - 14 pints of blood.
A 110-pound teenager has around 7 pints of blood.
A 40-pound child has around 2 to 3 pints.
One Donation Can Save Several Lives
One pint of blood can be separated into three primary components which can help up to several people in need:
Red Blood Cells - carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues. These cells are needed for accident victims and surgery patients. They can be refrigerated and stored for only up to 42 days.
Plasma - is 90 percent water, makes up 55 percent of blood volume and is needed for organ, burn and shock patients. Plasma can be frozen and stored for up to one year.
Platelets - are an essential factor in blood clotting and give patients with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live. These can be stored at room temperature no longer than 5 days.
All three of these important components that make up a pint of blood are made in the body's bone marrow.
About 1 billion red blood cells are found in just 2 to 3 drops of whole blood. For every 600 red blood cells there are approximately 40 platelets and just 1 white cell.
Nationally, more men than women donate blood. Locally, more women than men donate! When was the last time you gave blood?
The average patient who needs a transfusion uses about 3 pints of blood and blood components.
Replenishment Program - Donate to Help Someone in Need!
When a relative or friend becomes ill or is hospitalized, you want to help, and may not know how. You can show how much you care by making a blood donation in their name. Your gift of blood will help the community blood supply to be there when someone else is in need. When you donate blood in the name of a special person, you will be given a greeting card to send to the patient whose blood usage you are replenishing. The card lets the patient know you were thinking of them and donated blood in their name.
What's Your Type?
There are four blood groups: type O, A, B and AB.
There are eight blood types which include: type O positive/O negative, type A positive/A negative, type B positive/B negative and type AB positive/AB negative.
Who Has It?
Type O positive is found in about 1 person in 3.
Type O negative is found in about 1 person in 15.
Type A positive is found in about 1 person in 3.
Type A negative is found in about 1 person in 16.
Type B positive is found in about 1 person in 12.
Type B negative is found in about 1 person in 67.
Type AB positive is found in about 1 person in 29.
Type AB negative is found in about 1 person in 167.
But the rarest type of blood is the type that is not available when YOU need it!
Type "O negative" blood is often called the universal blood type because patients of all blood types can receive type O negative red cells. This is the type that is transfused to patients in an emergency situation.
Patients with type "AB positive" blood are often called universal recipients because they can receive red cells of any blood type. And, type AB plasma and platelets are universal in their ability to help any patient.
After blood is drawn, it is typed for ABO group (blood type) and RH type (positive or negative), tested to ensure its safety for patients (see screening tests performed below), separated into the necessary components and distributed to local medical facilities for patients-in-need.
SOURCE:LIVESTREAM
