Here is what happens when you go to
donate blood as a black donor.
Firstly, if you are not registered to
give blood… go and do that here:https://www.blood.co.uk/the-donation-process/registering-online/
Below is a quick video showing you just how quick and easy registering to donate really is.
But what do I need in order to
register to give blood, I hear you ask but don’t fret dear reader, I will break
it all down for you, it’s a very simple process that will make a huge
difference to many people’s health and lives. To become a blood donor (with the
NHS of course,) all you need is…
1. An online account which requires you
to enter your email address and make a password (not too difficult please
remember, this is an easy process.)
2. Verify your email address through the
link they will send you.
3. Then you will be asked to enter further
details about yourself such as Name title etc. If you have given blood before,
you will have what is called a Blood
donor ID, 9 characters in length but don’t worry if you either do not yet
have one, can’t remember if you do or if you’ve lost it, you can still go
forward with the registering process.
4. Enter you ethnicity group (From the
options listed.)
5. Pop in your home number, mobile
number and address (the first two required in order to contact you about
appointments, and an address to point you in the direction of the nearest blood
donation session to you,) and congratulations, you’re a registered donor!
Once you have completed all of this,
you will be told where you’re closest location to donate is and when the next
session will be. Blood donations are usually run every few months and the time
slots vary. The nursing staff will aim to have your entire session from last
less than an hour from start to finish. Now, let me tell you exactly what to
expect when in an average blood donation session.
What to Expect
If you have already made an
appointment over the phone ahead of the scheduled session, the week prior you
should have received a form to fill out via post. Depending upon whether you
are a first time donor or a returning donor, the form you get will be slightly
different. The form will ask questions about the following, your sexual physical
health, travel patterns, any body piercings or tattoos you may have and how
long ago.
These screening questions are to
ensure you are in relative good health in order to go forward (hopefully) with
regular donation. Once you arrive at the actual appointment, you will hand in
your sheet, be given a cup of water and directed to a seating area with some
reading material about the importance of giving blood and what to expect
afterwards e.g. no heavy lifting, what to do if (in rare instances) the bleeding
hasn’t stopped after a certain amount of time. You will be asked to read this
information thoroughly before proceeding further into the session.
Once your name is called by one of
the nurses, you will be taken to cubicle where you will be asked to confirm
answers given on your screening sheet. Then your middle finger on a chosen hand
will be pricked and a drop of blood taken and tested for iron deficiency.
If all goes well, you be then be
seated in a (very comfortable,) recliner chair and the blood donation process
can begin. The area of your arm in which the needle is placed is swabbed
thourougly before the needle is (gently and with precision,) inserted into a
vein on an arm of your choosing and you are off to the races giving blood!
(Hoozah!)
You will be asked to do some
exercises while donating in order to help maintain your blood pressure e.g.
balling up your fist for a few seconds, un-balling (lather rince and repeat.)
All in all the donation process (so
long as you keep that blood pressure up!) will take about 15 minutes. Needle
removed, small plaster to take its place and you’ll be away… for a snack (my
favourite part,) where you will sit for as long or as little as you like before
being able to go on your way and viola! Congratulations you donated blood for
the first time!
It really is that simple and very
rewarding to know you are contributing to your own community’s health. And
after a few times of donation, you will receive a key ring with your blood type
on so you can find out how rare (or common) your blood type is (we all secretly
want to be the rarest), however all blood types are needed especially within
the black community so please do not hesitate to register, find your nearest
donation session and change black lives today! You never know when you or
someone you love might also be in need of blood, all the more reason to donate
ASAP!
The Terrifying Truths
Right now, we need more people from
all minority backgrounds to register and donate blood and here is why it
matters.
“There are racial and ethnic differences in blood type and composition.
Your blood type is inherited in the same way as your eye and hair colour. That
is why it is almost impossible to find a rare blood type that is needed to
transfuse an Asian patient, for example, in a donor who is caucasian, and vice
versa.”
The more people from minority
backgrounds who donate, the more people from minority backgrounds suffering
from disorders such as sickle cell are able to receive the blood type they need
in order to live their lives as fully as possible. Despite making up 14% of the
population, fewer than 5% of the ethnic minority population are donors, this is
a huge issue as a large percentage of people who suffer from blood disorders
such as Sickle Cell (90% in black British patients) and Thalassaemia are from
ethnic minority backgrounds. 1% of those donors are from black backgrounds.
“It is estimated that 1,000 people in
the UK have thalassaemia, and between 13,000-15,000 people in the UK have
sickle cell disease.”
The NHS has a goal to register at least
40,000 more black donors, will you help by becoming one of them?
Please register to give blood today
and help bring these shocking statistics down.
For more in depth information about
blood donation within black communities and the effects of disorders such as
Sickle Cell, click the link below.
