If you are looking for a simple example of altruism, then donating blood is it. And if you’re looking for a place to witness acts of kindness, step inside a blood donor clinic.
On a visit to the blood donor clinic on D’Olier Street, Dublin recently, I was struck by the calm, organised atmosphere as people walk in off the street to give what one donor described as a renewable resource to someone who desperately needs it.
The problem is, not enough people are donating blood to keep supplies at the levels required. “The drop in blood donations is a major problem around the world,” says Paul McKinney from the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS)*.
A recent survey of blood donors in 18 countries found donations have dropped by over 25 per cent since 2005. "In Ireland, there is a particular need for new donors as 21 per cent fewer people came forward to donate for the first time in 2015 compared to 2010," says Stephen Cousins, IBTS national donor services manager.
To draw attention to this fact, the IBTS has joined the international hashtag Missing Type (#missingtype) campaign. This social media campaign uses the letters, A, B and O disappearing at iconic locations around the world to highlight the need for blood. “It’s in everyone’s interest that we have a safe supply of blood. The typical age profile of blood donors in Ireland is over 40 and we are keen to attract young donors,” says McKinney.
One in four
In Ireland, about 3,000 blood donations are required every week to have enough for those receiving cancer treatment, recovering from surgery or childbirth and for all kinds of other medical emergencies. One in four of us will need a blood donation at some stage in our lifetime yet only about 3 per cent of those who can donate blood do so.
The IBTS is hoping to recruit 8,000 new donors by the end of 2016. Donating blood is a simple procedure. Upon arrival at the blood donor clinic, you fill in an eligibility form, answer questions about your health and have your haemoglobin levels checked to make sure you're not anaemic. "There are a lot of factors that have to be taken into account before you give blood. I always say to people who can't donate that if they were on the receiving end of a blood transfusion, they would be very pleased to know we are so careful," says Graham Egan, manager at the clinic in D'Olier Street.
If everything is in order, you are taken to an enclosed area where you lie down while a needle is put into a vein in your arm and about 500ml of blood is taken. After about 15 minutes, you are brought to a canteen to have something to eat and drink before leaving.
Some 470ml of the blood donated is held in an overnight fridge while a 30ml sample is sent to the laboratory for testing. Once given the all clear, the blood is packaged and sent to the IBTS blood banks in Dublin and Cork from where it will be distributed to hospitals.
Marie Tighe (55), a nurse, is giving her 26th blood donation at the clinic. "I've worked in healthcare all my life and I've seen the need for blood. There is a culture around giving blood for some people but I'm aware that many young people have a fear of needles and many don't give blood."
Tighe says greater awareness is needed in workplaces. “Blood donation should be promoted in the same way that quitting smoking and donating organs are promoted,” she says.
Critically low
Sam Shaw (24) is also donating blood at the clinic when I visit. "I've been donating blood since I was 18 and my blood type is O-negative – which is rare but can be given to all blood types," says Shaw.
Visibly proud of donating blood, Shaw explains how the supply of O-negative is critically low at the moment and his blood will be packaged separately for use for newborn babies. “I’m just finished my training to become a pilot in Spain so I will come back again in 90 days to give blood again,” he says.
Research scientist, Steven Fagan (28) wasn't permitted to give blood on the day we visited but he will come back in three months. "I gave blood about eight years ago and then I got busy and didn't think about giving blood. But now I think it's a renewable resource: I don't need all I have and other people need it urgently so I hope to give blood more regularly in the future."
This article was edited on September 27th, 2016, to correct the name of the Irish Blood Transfusion Service (IBTS). An earlier version incorrectly named it the Irish Blood Transfusion Board (IBTB)
