Blood is of so much importance to ones and every life, for blood is life. Blood can be defined as the fluid we have in our bodies that carries oxygen from the lungs to the other parts of the body. So its supply to blood banks must suffice the needs of those who need it. The Red Cross has a standard procedure that if a patient needs a blood transfusion, there must be a donor who has the same blood type with the patient who needs it. This is in exchange for the blood that the patient or his relative shall be taken from the Red Cross. A patient who needs blood transfusion may have suffered from these several causes: Surgery, Car accidents, Dengue, Low of blood, Premature Birth and any other similar cases.

At this instance, it is our chance to help others who need our blood. The blood you give will save the lives of others, may it be your family or loved ones, friends, and even other persons you do not know. How fulfilling it is to imagine that you have saved life with that blood you have donated. We must understand that blood cannot be manufactured in any means. So I guess this is one of the reasons we have to implant in our hearts and mind why we need to donate blood. Not everyone can save a life. But you have the chance to do so. Please do not throw away or ignore that big chance.

Kleansy

Everyone expected blood is available everywhere and thanks to those who give blood for donations. It is honor, spirit and resources to all people  who need blood donation and without money to buy, comes helping neighbors when needed. Free blood donation is good especially to people who cannot buy for blood so that he/she need a blood donor to survive. Rules for donating blood donors must be healthy, at least 18 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, do not take antibiotics, and not been donated for last past weeks. Some people need blood donor is from accident, illness, people that don’t have enough supply of blood in their body they need blood donors from someone else who can give. Some hospital al the red cross sometime don’t have supply of blood so that they need donors. Some of the blood donors those who will pledge to donate are invited to register their name, blood group, contact number and address. Voluntary blood donors donate blood for own free for altruistic reasons and get no reward except personal satisfaction. Patients who receive free blood feel a sense of being cared for by others that they never meet. People donate blood for different reasons some do it for friends, family members, or even themselves. Others volunteers to help people they don’t even know.

Renan Orola

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Editors Note: When sign-up for the online Philippines Blood Registry - you are not donating blood to some form of ‘blood bank’ anonymous pool. You are registering to potentially donate fresh blood in the event that a specific individual needs blood due to an accident – operation – illness.

In essence, you are placing yourself ‘on call’ for those in need in the form of an online ‘directory’. If you know anyone in the medical field in your area – advise them of the Registry’s availability. They are the one’s who have to deal first hand with the emergency.

Think about organizing a ‘Sign-Up’ party at your school, business organization or government office. You can download and print a small poster here for your bulletin board.

… or more commonly known to Filipinos as Blood Donation.

Usually, we have programs here in the Philippines, whether be it by some government agencies or private organizations, doing some Bloodletting Program for a cause. This activity is usually in partnership with Philippine National Red Cross or any medical establishments like hospitals. I attempted to join and donate some liters of blood but never had the courage. I am not even aware of my blood type yet. But once I donated some blood with Red Cross, I can have blood in exchange when I need it. Well, that’s not it - having blood supply in return.

Really blood saves lives and blood is considered to the most precious fluid. And donating blood, I say, is a noble act. Recipients of the bloods are not only the fortunate but the donors as well. Science proves that it has incredible health benefits by donating blood.

Blood donation removes some of the excess iron which can cause free radical formation in the body. In fact, studies have shown that men who donate blood on a regular basis have a lower risk of heart disease. With heart disease being the number one cause of death in males, this is, indeed, an important health benefit of donating blood.
[ source: http://www.healthmad.com/Health/The-Incredible-Health-Benefits-of-Donating-Blood.85641 ]

Maybe next time when I am invited for a Bloodletting Program, I will not hesitate to do so. Hope you too can share blood and start saving lives.

Jerome R. Locson

Editors Note: When sign-up for the online Philippines Blood Registry - you are not donating blood to some form of ‘blood bank’ anonymous pool. You are registering to potentially donate fresh blood in the event that a specific individual needs blood due to an accident – operation – illness.

In essence, you are placing yourself ‘on call’ for those in need in the form of an online ‘directory’. If you know anyone in the medical field in your area – advise them of the Registry’s availability. They are the one’s who have to deal first hand with the emergency.

Think about organizing a ‘Sign-Up’ party at your school, business organization or government office. You can download and print a small poster here for your bulletin board.

The importance of blood donation is indispensable especially in poorer countries like the Philippines. Blood is expensive and blood supply is not always enough to those who need them. There is no substitute to human blood. When one needs a certain type of blood, often times one needs it fast and quick.

According to some studies someone needs blood every two seconds. Yet a pint of blood can save up to three lives.

Blood donation is an act of kindness with two way benefits. It’s healthy for the donor and it can save the life of the patient. Donating blood is about an hour of you time but for the recipient it may mean their life!

- Lady Influence

Editors Note: When sign-up for the online Philippines Blood Registry - you are not donating blood to some form of ‘blood bank’ anonymous pool. You are registering to potentially donate fresh blood in the event that a specific individual needs blood due to an accident – operation – illness.
In essence, you are placing yourself ‘on call’ for those in need in the form of an online ‘directory’. If you know anyone in the medical field in your area – advise them of the Registry’s availability. They are the one’s who have to deal first hand with the emergency.
Think about organizing a ‘Sign-Up’ party at your school, business organization or government office. You can download and print a small poster here for your bulletin board.

This is a special call and a program at the same time being developed and promoted by the Philippines Blood Registry. They are a new and prime provider of free web-based Info Service for Blood Donors and for people who need blood supply. This is a good example of give and take relationship just like the story that I have below which is my personal experience in donating blood

Filipinos are well known to be good Samaritans and I myself believe in the saying that if you give life you get life so if you give blood, you also get blood. In Metro Manila, particularly in a well reputable and recognized hospital, The Chinese General Hospital, they have a blood donation center there where I donate blood in an annual basis which means that I go to them every year to donate and give blood.

For this good deed, I get an updated blood donation priority card that entitles me to be a primary or priority receiver of blood in any case that I will need it. This card that they are giving to people who qualify for blood donation serves as a ticket for getting blood in return for your donation when time comes that you will need blood on your part. Of course, as stated in their local hospital program, they will only allow people who have their blood tested and found to be a healthy source for healthy blood.

This means that you have to assure them through some blood sample tests that your blood is in the healthiest condition including free from unnecessary blood particles. You also have to be physically healthy to give blood to their blood bank plus you have to be tested to contain only non-AIDS infected blood. Now what does this mean? Simple, all the tests that make you a healthy blood donor in the blood bank of the said reputable hospital is what assures you of a “FREE” health and blood checkup from the same hospital plus you get assurance that you are not infected with AIDS virus if you qualify as a donor.

The hospital will subject you with all necessary quality blood tests to arrive at a decision if you will qualify so it’s not a bad exchange for donating blood while getting all free general check-up at the same time for your body and your blood. The same procedures however apply in the Philippine National Red Cross because I have experienced donating blood in exchange for another blood type for a friend who desperately need blood supply because he went into comatose in an accident in our work.

I’ve also had the same experience with donating back in my college days to the Military Corps which is part of the CMT program also on a yearly basis. Mind you however that those who have either a tattoo or a pinching mark will be forever banned to get the privilege of getting priority card so you won’t get any chance in case you need blood because you will never be considered as a healthy donor at any cost – FOR LIFE. Don’t waste that once in a lifetime chance; keep your body clean and safe as well.

The call today for us is to “Donate Blood Now Save a Life Tomorrow“ and “Keep your body healthy and free of tattoo or pinch marks“ to get the privilege of being allowed to donate blood as well as get blood supply when you need one in a flash using your priority card.

- Sam Casuncad

Editor’s Note: Register to be a future donor of fresh blood in the event of someone’s accident, operation, or illness. You don’t donate now – you just register your type of blood – Contact Information online - so medical staff or family could reach you. You might save a life. Click here.

Even when all goes well, surgery patients may carry an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and possibly cancer for weeks or even years, say physician-scientists studying the unintended effects of surgery.

A few studies have been done across the broad spectrum of the topic, including whether short-term surgical complications, such as infections or pulmonary problems, predict an increase in long-term complications and whether mutations in genes involved in inflammation result in higher stroke rates after cardiopulmonary bypass surgery.

These studies are providing mounting evidence that there are short - and long-term increased risks, particularly for surgery patients with serious underlying disease, says Dr. Meiler. Changes in the immune response that can result from surgery are a major player.

“The inflammatory response to surgery, for the most part, is a very good thing. We need it to protect ourselves against infection,” he explains. “We need it to heal the surgical wound properly. But if you are in a high-risk group, if you are not generally healthy except for your specific surgical indication, then that protective inflammatory process may also stir up trouble.”

Inflammation is a player in most major diseases, from cardiovascular disease to cancer. A heart patient, for example, already has chronic inflammation and the coronary bypass surgery he needs, ironically, may accelerate it. “It is like stepping on the gas pedal,” says Dr. Meiler. Studies have shown that taking drugs such as statins, used to treat high cholesterol, or beta blockers and clonidine, used for hypertension, can protect against some of this risk.

“Giving beta blockers, statins, making sure your blood sugar doesn’t rise during surgery, minimizing blood transfusions, these are all things that we have not paid enough attention to,” says Dr. Meiler.

Even body temperature is a factor. “We now have solid evidence that if patients drop their core temperatures during surgery below 36 degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the complication rate from postoperative infections for certain surgical procedures may be as high as threefold.”

Infections and even cancer are concerns post surgically as lower body temperature, blood transfusions and apparently volatile anesthetics actually suppress the immune response.

‘Be Informed – Help Inform’   Discuss this information with your medical care provider. Ask questions.