Blood Drives in West Hawaii

The Blood Bank of Hawaii has scheduled blood drives in West Hawaii this coming week:

Monday (11/9): Hawaii Preparatory Academy (HPA) 8:30am to 4:45pm. Gates Performing Arts Center.

Tuesday (11/10): Kealakehe High School gymnasium 8:00am to 4:15pm.

Wednesday (11/11): Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) Kona Stake Center. 7:30am to 4:00pm.  Cultural Hall. 

To make an appointment on-line, click here (bbh.org) or call (800) 372-9966

More information from BBH.org:

To meet the needs of Hawaii's patients, Blood Bank of Hawaii requires approximately 200 donors every day. Last year more than 86,000 blood components were transfused from the 48,000 blood donations given by our generous volunteer donors.

Major Reasons Patients Need Blood

• Cancer
• Heart and blood vessel disease
• Disease of the gastrointestinal tract
• Emergencies such as car accidents and burns

Examples

• Automobile Accident
• 50 units of blood
• Heart Surgery
• 6 units of blood
• 6 units of platelets
• Organ Transplant
• 40 units of blood
• 30 units of platelets
• 20 bags of cryoprecipitate
• 25 units of fresh frozen plasma
• Bone Marrow Transplant
• 120 units of platelets
• 20 units of blood
• Burn
• 20 units of platelets

Basic Donor Requirements

•  Be in good health.
•  Be 18 years or older (17-year-olds can donate with a Blood Bank of Hawaii consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian).
•  Weigh at least 110 pounds.
•  Have valid photo identification.

Before You Donate

• Drink 8-10 glasses of water.
• Keep your body hydrated in preparation for a loss in body fluid. Avoid coffee, alcohol or caffeinated beverages that dehydrate the body.
• Get adequate rest.
• Typically, you should get eight hours of sleep the night before your donation.
• Eat a hearty meal.
• Be sure to have a good breakfast in the morning of your donation and full meals throughout the day.
• Include iron-rich foods in your diet.
• An iron rich diet can help keep hemoglobin levels within an acceptable range for donating. Consistent, long-term consumption of meats, leafy green and/or other iron-rich foods is the key.
•  Know what countries you’ve traveled to and when.
• In accordance with FDA regulations, donors may be deferred based on travel to areas exposed to vCJD (the human form of mad cow disease), malaria or other illnesses during specified time frames.
•  Know the medical conditions you have and the medications you’re taking.
• For your safety and the safety of blood recipients, donors on certain medications may be deferred or required to wait before donating. Insulin treatments for diabetes are among the unaccepted medications.

 The Donation Process

• From registration to refreshments, the entire process of donating blood takes about an hour and includes the following six steps:
•  Paperwork
• Each donor is given a questionnaire to fill out.
•  Mini physical
• A Blood Bank of Hawaii staff member will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature and hemoglobin level.
•  Confidential interview
• A Blood Bank of Hawaii staff member will review your medical history with you.
•  Collection
• The actual collection of blood takes only five to eight minutes. A new, sterile and disposable needle is used to draw one pint of your blood.
•  Rest
• Remain seated for a few minutes. Drink lots of liquids to help replenish your fluids.
•  Eat
• Be sure to have some refreshments before you leave and enjoy hearty meals throughout the day.

Photo: Jones Blog>Daily