Blood Needed Urgently

[Canary42]

As a past donor myself, but now too old to continue, may I appeal to all you kind folks to consider donating if you don't already. I've given some 100 donations in the past, and been more than happy to do so. Virtually painless and as a reward you get free biscuits and a cuppa'.

Please give it a go (even if only once, which will at least give you your blood group😊). 

https://uk.yahoo.com/style/who-can-give-blood-donations-nhs-rules-110553293.html

 

[Buenchico]

If you can't give blood, there's always something else that you might be able to donate 😊

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/clyge290l4xo

[sandyRoe]

I'm too old now to give blood but I'm full of that other material.

Where could I donate?

[THECORBYLOON]

Perhaps we could stick to encouraging blood donation which is the reason for this thread?

[Ludocruz]

Donating also provides a health check on the day - for low iron / anaemia or having something more serious, as  each donation is sampled prior to being used.

If you are a regular donor you can carry on donating however old you are. 

[Buenchico]

>>> "If you are a regular donor you can carry on donating however old you are"

The actual wording of the rules, which changed slightly at the start of this year, is as follows:
"Any returning donor (i.e someone who has donated blood before) who has not reached their 72nd birthday can donate blood. Any donor who has reached their 72nd birthday can continue to give blood as long as they have given a full donation in the previous two years."

The foregoing assumes, of course, that the potential donor meets all of the other relevant criteria:
https://www.blood.co.uk/who-can-give-blood/

[Ludocruz]

@buenchico

Thanks for the clarification...

A few years to go yet with my ORh- vamping sessions then.🧛‍♂️

[Old_Geezer]

https://youtube.com/shorts/eZOXULQiCsA?si=YbbS9G9-EElGMfda

 

[Maydup]

I'm all booked in and encourage others to join us. You give up about an hour and about a pint of blood and every time I go I dedicate my donation to each one of my relatives who have needed blood at one time or another. 

https://www.blood.co.uk

[Buenchico]

Unfortunately, I'm not able to give blood as the medics are currently far more interested in pumping stuff into my veins than taking it out of them.  (My new round of chemo starts this Friday morning).  😒

[Canary42]

////Any donor who has reached their 72nd birthday can continue to give blood as long as they have given a full donation in the previous two years/////

This is the clause which now bars me (83 this year) but I'm proud of my 100+ donations. Not possible to confirm as NBTS lost my records when I moved house in 1980.

[Canary42]

Thank you Maydup for your support.

[Canary42]

Those of more senior years will no doubt remember the Tony Hancock Blood Donor sketch (available now on YouTube) - "a pint! That's nearly an armful".

[Buenchico]

^^^ 😊

[Smowball]

I haven't given blood for a while but I have indeed done so many times and will so again in the future. Just as a boring fact -  my blood grouo is A rhesus negative lol.

[webbo3]

\\Unfortunately, I'm not able to give blood as the medics are currently far more interested in pumping stuff into my veins than taking it out of them.  (My new round of chemo starts this Friday morning).//

Good luck Chris.

[davebro3]

After donating regularly for several decades I went again and was presented with a folder to read and a multi-page questionaire to complete. I said - I've come to give blood not sit an exam - I gave up donating and returned all my certificates and badges.

I do think it's a good and necessary contribution to society but I just took the huff!🙄  Too old now anyway.

[seanne]

I've given 130 donations since I was 17 and I'm happy to do so.

 A friend who's gravely ill has almost weekly blood transfusions. 

Please think about donating.

[Cloverjo]

I'm happy to give blood. Unfortunately, I've been made to feel bad for turning up, for various reasons including having a small cut on my finger, and blowing my nose. They refused my much needed blood.
 

However, I agree it's a worthy cause and would encourage people to donate. 

[New Judge]

I gave blood regularly from the age of about twenty up to about seven or eight years ago.

I got the folder  and questionnaire treatment which davebro describes. I completed it grudgingly (after all, it’s not the fault of the recipients of the blood that such nonsense prevails). I was assured that I would not be required to do it again. Prophetically, that turned out to be quite true.

Prior to that it was “turn up at your convenience, make your donation, cup of tea and over the pub for a restorative pint". On the following occasion I was told I had to make an appointment.

I was unable to make an appointment that suited me or at the place I had previously used for many years. Instead I had to make one which was at an inconvenient time and at a place three times as far away. This meant I had to drive (and so could not have my restorative pint).

It didn’t really matter. When I arrived I was told I could not be accommodated because they had insufficient staff.

I only allow myself to get messed about like that just the once so it was,  sadly, the conclusion of what (I thought) was quite an illustrious career as a blood donor.

[davebro3]

remembering - it's getting difficult! - wasn't there a reorganisation of the blood donor scheme 5 or 10 years ago that caused a big fall-off in the number of volunteers? 

Unintended consequences...