5 Facts You May Not Know About Giving Blood

 

On Wednesday, October 9, the Student Nursing Association at Concordia University Texas is hosting a blood drive on campus. We Are Blood’s mobile drive will be in the Backyard, which is located right outside the CTX Library (Building F).

Here are five reasons why donating blood is important.

We Are Called to Serve Others

Everything we do at Concordia flows from our most important value, which is to be Christ-centered. God calls us to care for people, which is one of our other core values.

Giving blood is a great way to serve others, even if you never meet them face-to-face. As Jesus tells us in Matthew 25:40, whatever we do to love our neighbors, we do out of love for Him.

Ready for Emergencies

It can take up to 48 hours to process and prepare a unit of blood for use. By giving blood when you have the opportunity, you help equip hospitals with blood that is ready to use.

If an emergency occurs, medical professionals need to have blood already processed so that they can use it to help victims immediately.

One Pint Goes A Long Way

One pint of blood, which is around the typical amount of whole blood donated by a person, has the potential to save up to three lives.

America’s Blood Centers estimates that 31,000 pints of blood are used every day.

Continuous Need

Blood has a short shelf lifespan, so it must be continually replenished. Red blood cells can be stored for just 42 days. Adding to the challenge is the fact that someone in the United States needs a blood product every three seconds.

Small Amount of Eligible Donors

The American Red Cross estimates that less than 38 percent of the population is eligible to give blood or platelets. However, less than 10 percent of the population gives blood annually. Additionally, those who give blood can only donate every 56 days.