Blood Donation Drive @ President College, KL

By Farah Amin Siru, Marketing Executive, President College

Blood cannot be manufactured. It can only be given as a gift from people.

It was this simple realization that got me on the bandwagon of donating blood as often as possible. Personally I believe it is probably one of the most unselfish acts a person could perform for another.

On the 8th of September 2011, President College Kuala Lumpur hosted a blood donation drive on our campus premises on the 28th Floor at The Mall, Jalan Putra here in the heart of the city as an effort to raise awareness of this noble practice as well as to encourage others to make their own contribution for society.  

There was a good turnout; mostly our own students but there were a few outsiders sharing the  building who came by and donated as well.

People need to realize that this activity lives and learn to shun any fears or misconceptions associated with needles and pain. There is only a brief sting like a pin-prick for a second and then its over. Bring a friend along to donate with you, thus you'll be able to share the experience and it won't seem so frightening; the whole process usually takes around 30 minutes to 1 hour and the medical staff are always very friendly and kind. They even provide refreshment and snacks after wards to keep up your energy for the rest of the day and to stimulate the body to replenish the loss.

World Blood Donor Day

June 14 is celebrated around the world as World Blood Donor Day. Its the birthday of Karl Landsteiner; the creator of the 'ABO blood group system'. The World Health Organization (WHO) chose this day to recognize millions of brave hearts who make a conscious effort in saving lives and improving the health of others by donating blood. 


Why should one donate blood?

Blood is called the gift of life, there is a constant need for  consistent supply of safe blood in all health units worldwide because blood can be stored for only a limited period time before use. This can only be ensured if a sufficient number of healthy people donate blood on a regular basis. 

Safe, germ-free blood not only saves lives but also improves health. Blood transfusion, or for that matter blood donation is needed for: 

• Accident patients 

• Many surgical and terminally ill patients 

• Women with pregnancy related complications, such as haemorrhage before,  

   during or after  childbirth 

• Children with severe anemia

• People with conditions such as thalassaemia, haemophilia, and sickle cell anemia. 

Health Benefits of Donating Blood:
  

Apart from the exalted feeling of saving someone's life, blood donation has other health benefits as well:

• Donating blood one can get rid of excess iron accumulated in the body due to its over consumption. Excess iron residues can stimulate formation of free radicals in the body, which are responsible for 

causing damage to various body cells and tissues. Free radicals are also associated with many ailments such as cardiac diseases and cancer

• Blood donation also helps to burn extra calories and reduces cholesterol level in the body. The count of blood cells decreases in the body after donating blood, which stimulates the bone marrow cells to produce new red blood corpuscles in order to replenish. As a result, the entire circulatory   system gets refreshed.

• There are no major disadvantages of donating blood, except that sometimes one may experience mild nausea or dizziness for a short while, or may experience a temporary drop in blood pressure. But given the amazing mental satisfaction and health benefits, one should never stop from donating blood. It is one of the noblest of all human acts, and a healthy individual should volunteer for it at least 4 to 5 times a year.