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I was three months old when I had my first blood transfusion. Since then, I’ve been receiving blood transfusions about every 20 days. I’m 40 years old now, a novelist and a blogger.
I wouldn’t have come this far had it not been for the heroes whose donated blood made my survival possible. Most of them are strangers to me. I do not know their names, caste or religion. But for me, they are all heroes.
Four types of transfusable products can be derived from human Whole Blood. These are red cells, platelets, plasma and cryoprecipitate. Every good blood bank generally separates two or three of these from a pint of the donated Whole Blood. A patient usually doesn’t require them all.
For example, as a patient of Thalassemia Major, I need only the red blood cells. So, I get only red blood cells.
The remaining products derived from that unit of Whole Blood are given to those who need them. Thus, one unit of donated blood can save up to 3 lives.
In developing countries like India, there is a great shortage of blood. Getting safe blood is even harder. So, many people resort to getting blood from paid donors.
The problem is that those who sell blood for money are often victims of poverty, malnutrition, and even drug and alcohol addiction. Their blood can cause more harm than good. And thus, we need healthy, voluntary blood donors.
Yet, most people don’t bother. Some fear it will make them weak, some are afraid of the needle pricks, some don’t want to spare time for it.
But the fact is that blood donation isn’t just valuable for the receiver, it is also perfectly healthy for the donor. And it is perfectly safe.
All good blood banks use sterilised needles and equipment to draw blood. And a medical examination is performed before the blood transfusion to ensure that the person is healthy. That has an indirect advantage to the donor as the examination can give an indication of any developing health problems.
The human body contains about 5-6 litres of blood. Out of this, only about 300 to 450 ml of blood is drawn during a blood donation. And as the body produces new blood cells faster after every donation, the lost blood gets replaced in the body within 24 to 48 hours.
No special rest, diet or medication is required after donating and a person can take part in any activity after it. It is suggested that regular blood donation is healthy for the heart.
However, I’m sure these aren’t the reasons why a person donates blood.
People become regular blood donors because they want to save lives. They know the value of their blood.
When a person is in need of blood, the need is urgent and often life-threatening. And there's only one way to meet this need in a safe way; a kind and generous person donating blood voluntarily. There's no other alternative.
So these people, who donate blood regularly, they are the saviors. They may not be going on a battlefield, but they are real heroes too.
I owe my life to them. If today I am alive and capable of chasing my dreams, it is because of those unknown many whose donated blood I received.
I will never know them, I will never meet them. But today, through this article, I extend my gratitude to them.
(Jyoti is a patient of Thalassemia Major which forced her to stop going to school after class seventh. She is a novelist and a blogger and is currently living in Ghaziabad, India. Her work can be seen at www.jyotiarora.com)
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Published: 14 Jun 2017,07:47 AM IST