Burnsteem25||It’s Better to Give Than to Receive

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When my mom was hospitalized because her hemoglobin level was very low, I learned how hard it is to find blood donors. First, you need to pay for the blood and the donors. Then those donors need to be examined first. And even if some good people are willing to donate, some are not qualified to be donors.

My Advocacy

Ever since I experienced that kind of hardship, I promise myself that I need to donate blood regularly at least twice a year as possible. I've been a regular donor to Red Cross and I donated blood to a few cancer patients. I was told by a doctor before that a single blood donation has the potential to save up to three lives. I don't know if it's true or how possible it is to save three lives with a single bag of blood, but it feels so good every time I help other people.

Last Friday, November 25, 2022. There was a bloodletting activity in our church. I didn't miss that chance to participate. There were only a few people who donated their blood. Sad but that's reality. A lot of people need blood but there are only a few donors.

Anyways, I discovered something during that event. Usually, it takes time for me to fill a bag of blood but now it only takes less than 10 minutes. Maybe because I am now drinking more water than before. It's good to drink a lot of water every day because it helps in blood circulation.

After I donated blood we went to the market to buy food. I want to eat a soupy dish every time I donate blood but we couldn't find one so instead of having soup I ordered shawarma rice with frappe and drink a lot of water. Drinking more fluids will help me regenerate my blood.

The Benefits

My mom's doctor explained to us that donating blood regularly has been related to reduced blood pressure and a lower risk of heart attack. He said that If your hemoglobin level is too high, blood donation helps to reduce blood viscosity, which has been linked to the formation of blood clots, heart attacks, and stroke. Surprisingly, these advantages are higher in males than in women. This is because women have menstrual periods and so they do it naturally without giving blood.

So it's time to live healthily and save more lives. Let's all join in this good cause. Start donating your blood now.