Blood donation is a way to serve humanity. We should donate blood so that we can save a life. It is the easiest way to help someone without investment. Sometimes, We want to help the poor or helpless people but we don’t have money to help them. So this is the best alternative to help someone.
In June, two relevant campaigns to raise awareness about health and blood donation take place. By talking about how important blood transfusions are, Red June wants to promote a sense of community and make people aware of how this helps save lives.
The June Orange campaign tells about two of the most frequent conditions related to the blood system. Anaemia, despite being very common, remains a topic that raises many doubts in the population. And the other disease, even less frequent, is leukaemia, which is also worth mentioning because it is the main malignant childhood cancer.
What is June Orange?
The June Orange campaign highlights the fight against anaemia and leukaemia and lists important factors, such as encouraging bone marrow and blood donations.
What is anaemia?
Anaemia is a reduction in the levels of red blood cells present in the blood (haemoglobin, hematocrit and/or erythrocyte mass). This condition can be related to genetic causes (hemoglobinopathies) or secondary causes (such as bleeding, vitamin deficiency and others).
Anaemia is not a disease, but rather a sign that a disease exists. Although anaemia is famous as the lack of iron in the blood. It is just one of several conditions that can lead to an anaemic condition.
Anaemia symptoms
The symptoms of anaemia vary according to the intensity of each patient’s involvement and the disease behind each case. In general, an “anemic” person may experience some symptoms due to a lack of red blood cells in the bloodstream. It is configuring the so-called anaemic syndrome: fatigue, shortness of breath on exertion and/or at rest, and palpitations.
In the short term, the treatment of anaemia can be done by replacing ferrous sulfate, vitamins and blood transfusion. But they have very specific indications and cannot be generalized. It is important to reinforce and emphasize that anaemia is just a sign that there is a disease. It is necessary to investigate the cause that resulted in anaemia.
What is leukaemia?
Leukaemia is the most frequent cancer in children. This is one of the most common in the world, with an estimated 10,180 new cases in Brazil in 2020. The disease is called a malignant disease of white blood cells, and its exact cause is usually not known. It can be classified according to the speed of evolution (acute or chronic) and by the predominant cell type affected (lymphoid or myeloid).
Leukaemia symptoms
The accumulation of defective cells and the inadequate functioning of the bone marrow can lead to very different symptoms according to the type and course of the disease. In general, the symptoms of leukaemia are similar to the anaemic syndrome.
There is a more evident impairment related to the reduction of white blood cells, leading to an increased susceptibility to frequent infections, fever, swollen lymph nodes (“lumps”), weight loss without apparent reason, abdominal discomfort (generally due to an enlarged spleen and liver), bone and joint pain, among others.
Because it is cancer, detection in its early stage is essential for a greater chance of treatment. However, there is no scientific evidence that justifies screening for childhood leukaemias and, in general, an investigation occurs only when there is clinical suspicion.
What is Red June?
June is considered the period of greatest scarcity in blood stocks. In June, it registers a decrease in the number of donors in Brazil. In addition to the proximity of school holidays lead many families to travel. There is an increase in the incidence of respiratory infections, caused by the drop in temperatures, leaving them less likely to leave the house.
Highlighting the importance of blood donation, the campaign is even more necessary with the COVID-19 pandemic, which advocates social isolation, making a spontaneous donation even more difficult. The consequence is blood stocks are at even more deficient levels in all blood centres in the country.
For this reason, the Red June campaign seeks the involvement of everyone, aiming not only to increase the number of donations this month but also to intensify the culture of blood donation throughout Brazil so that the action takes place throughout the year.
How to donate blood and its process?
Blood collections maintain strict safety measures and strictly follow all the criteria for preventing contamination with the disease. The criteria are indicated by the Ministry of Health (MS) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The guidelines foresee, above all, the scheduling of donations, to avoid any kind of discomfort for donors.
To find out how to donate blood, contact your city’s blood centre and ask your questions. The procedure is simple, fast and safe. There are no risks for the donor because none of the material used in the blood collection is reused, which eliminates any possibility of contamination.
People between 16 and 69 years of age and weighing more than 50 kg can donate blood. In addition, it is necessary to present an official document with a photo, and minors under 18 can only donate with the formal consent of those responsible. Temporarily, people with fever, flu, or colds, recent diarrhea, and pregnant or postpartum women cannot donate.
The requirements to donate blood and to follow the following steps
- Be fed and avoid fatty foods in the 3 hours before blood donation.
- If after lunch, wait 2 hours.
- Have slept at least 6 hours in the last 24 hours.
- People aged between 60 and 69 will only be able to donate blood if they have already done so before the age of 60.
- The maximum frequency is four annual blood donations for men and three annual blood donations for women.
- The minimum interval between one blood donation and another is two months for men and three months for women.
Blood donation is a solidarity gesture of donating a small amount of one’s blood to save the lives of people who undergo large and complex medical treatments and interventions, such as transfusions, transplants, oncological procedures and surgeries.
Now that you already know the Red June and Orange June campaigns, do your part and help keep the hope of so many people who need your blood donation alive.
Requirements documents to make a donation you need
- Bring an official identity document with a photo (identity, work card, certificate of reservist, national driver’s license).
- Be in good health.
- Be between 16 (from 16 to 18 years old, only with the formal consent of those responsible) and 69 years, 11 months and 29 days.
- Weigh more than 50 kg.
- Not fasting; avoid only fatty foods in the three hours before the donation.
Donation day recommendations
- Never donate blood on an empty stomach.
- Rest at least 6 hours the night before donation.
- Do not drink alcohol in the 12 hours before donation.
- Avoid smoking for at least 2 hours before donation.
- People who exercise professions such as: flying an aeroplane or helicopter, driving buses or large trucks, climbing scaffolding and practising skydiving or diving, must stop these activities for 12 hours before the donation.
Donation intervals
Men: 60 days (up to 4 donations per year)
Women: 90 days (up to 3 donations per year)
Post-donation care
- Increase fluid intake
- No smoking for about 2 hours
- Avoid alcoholic beverages for 12 hours
- Keep the dressing on the puncture site for at least four hours
- Not driving large vehicles, working on scaffolding, skydiving or diving
Who can’t donate?
- Anyone diagnosed with hepatitis after the age of 11
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women
- People who are exposed to blood-borne diseases such as AIDS, hepatitis, syphilis and Chagas disease
- Drug users
- Those who have had sexual intercourse with an unknown or casual partner, do not use condoms
These are the information and process, we have shared with you guys. If you have any questions ask in the comment section or contact us.
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