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Donation saves thousands of people every day, but every year more and more free blood is needed. Transfusion helps to prolong life, is an integral part of some surgical procedures, during natural disasters and catastrophes. To honor people who donate blood voluntarily and free of charge, as well as to attract new donors, World Blood Donor Day was created.
When is it customary to celebrate a holiday
The date of World Blood Donor Day has been fixed since 2005. celebrated annually 14 June.
history of the holiday
June 14, 2004 was the first Day of the donor, and a year later the holiday was approved at the 58th World Health Assembly in Geneva, acquiring a permanent date. June 14 was not chosen by chance, on this day the Austrian physician and immunologist Karl Landsteiner (1868-1943) was born, who in 1930 received the Nobel Prize for the discovery of blood groups in humans.
The initiators of the World Donor Day were such significant organizations as the WHO (World Health Organization), the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (a humanitarian movement that unites volunteers around the world), the International Federation of Blood Donor Organizations and the International Society for Blood Transfusion – all of them call on people to donate blood voluntarily and free of charge.
Donor Day is designed to draw society’s attention to the problems of blood shortage and its diseases. Every year, a specific theme is chosen for Donor Day, within the framework of which festive and educational events are held. In 2019, the theme for Donor Day was “Safe Blood for All” to highlight access to safe blood transfusion worldwide and draw attention to the availability of “healthy” blood in the quantities needed. Each theme of the campaign also contains an appeal to people around the world to become donors, because this is the only way to ensure blood supplies and its availability for all those in need.
Holiday traditions
On this day, it is customary to congratulate and express gratitude to blood donors and call on those who have not yet decided to join their ranks. With the help of numerous educational lectures held on this day, they increase knowledge in the field of blood donation, answer emerging questions from those who are just about to donate blood, and draw attention to ensuring and maintaining the necessary blood supply. Honorary donors are also honored during the celebrations (these are people who donated blood 40 or more times or plasma 60 or more times). Particular attention is paid to the health of donors and further support, as this is an important factor in strengthening their willingness to donate blood on a regular basis. Numerous charity events are held, after which all the funds raised are sent to help those in need.
This event brings together people who do great and important work, draws the attention of society to them and the current problems of lack of donor blood.
How to become a blood donor
According to the legislation of the Federation, a capable person who is a citizen of the Federation, or foreign citizens legally residing in the territory of the Federation for at least one year or stateless persons who have reached the age of 18 who have expressed a voluntary desire to donate blood and (or) its components, can become a donor, passed a medical examination and have no contraindications.
If you are ready to donate blood and fit the above categories of citizens, then your next steps are:
- Choose a medical institution where you will donate blood and (or) its components;
- Undergo examinations by a transfusiologist, based on the results of which he will give you recommendations;
- Sign up for a donation (blood donation) by phone or through the website of the institution.
Prepare for surrender:
- alcohol intake is completely excluded for 48 hours;
- per day: have a good rest (for example, you can’t donate blood after night shifts), exclude smoked, fried, fatty, milk, cream, sour cream, as well as seeds, nuts and bananas from the diet and drink plenty of water;
- on the day of delivery, give up smoking, be sure to have breakfast, and carry out hygiene procedures.
Attention! Women should not donate blood during menstruation (it is possible only 5 days after the end), as well as during pregnancy and lactation. You can donate blood only one year after giving birth and not earlier than 3 months after the end of breastfeeding.
And remember that if you feel unwell, then you should not donate blood.
Allow time for donation, the whole procedure can take from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the condition after donating blood and what components you donate.
Take your passport with you, it is necessary for the registration of the donor, no other documents are suitable.
Fill out the donor questionnaire, which contains basic questions about your health – this is a mandatory part of the procedure, even if you have repeatedly donated blood and filled out a similar questionnaire.
After you register, you need to undergo a medical examination.
Before the donation itself, be sure to drink sweet tea with cookies, this will support your condition during and after the donation.
The blood sampling procedure itself is carried out in a special chair with sterile disposable materials. Also, an additional 20 ml of blood is taken from the donor for laboratory tests.
After donating blood, remain calm for another 10-15 minutes, and it is recommended to remove the bandage only after 3-4 hours. Physical activity on this day is excluded.
At the end of the subsidy, a certificate is issued that gives the right to 2 paid days of rest (Article 186 of the Labor Code of the Federation). As well as financial compensation for food.
Maximum possible number of blood donations per year:
- for men – 5 times;
- for women – 4 times;
- the interval is 60 days.