Blood Transfusion Essay

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Much of the blood needed for transfusions in Mississippi is shipped from nearby states as people in Mississippi do not usually donate enough to supply the demand for blood with in the state. The donated blood obviously goes to a multitude of patients in Mississippi; from people in car crashes, to cancer patients, to people sickle-cell disease, and many more.

Every two seconds someone needs a blood transfusion only 10% of Americans who are able to donate blood actually do donate. Keep going with this thought and explain how there are many different ways a person can donate; from a blood (aka whole blood) donation, to a double red blood cell donation, plasma, and plasma. Each of these various methods take a different amount of days for a donor …show more content…

I have a friend who has sickle-cell disease and she has told me that while she has never had to be turned away from getting a blood transfusion, she has seen it happen to other people many times. Before talking about this with her and researching about the state of blood donation in Mississippi. I had never even thought this would occur. Other than the time when I was younger my sister’s best friend was diagnosed with leukemia and had to have blood transfusions, I have been very lucky in that this has never really affected me per say. Talking with her and also just volunteering with the honors institute has made me be aware of how lucky I am that I am healthy and able bodied enough to be able to volunteer with various projects as well as to be able to donate blood that can completely change a person’s day and …show more content…

The only way hospitals can receive blood is through blood donations. About 34% of the population is eligible to give blood but, as I wrote earlier only 10% of those actually do donate. The possibility of someone patient being turned away from getting a transfusion has always motivated me to donate as often as I can. A basic blood donation takes about a pint of the donor’s blood however, the average red blood cell transfusion is about three pints of blood.

Not everyone however can give blood, whether they be ineligible or have a strong fear of needles and blood. I don’t have either of those problems and so feel that I almost must donate. I am trying to apply this mentality to a lot of my service. I try to arrive at the start of each service being grateful that I am physically able, and that I do not have any mental or emotional anxieties that would stop me from community service. I also try to always be enthusiastic about the work I am doing and to try to learn more about the project and what I can continue to do to help

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