So, where does my blood donation go? Due to some conditions, some people may need more blood supply; and yes, donating blood can help save lives.
Through blood donation drives, people can help others. Unfortunately, we are unable to manufacture blood outside our bodies because it is perishable and must be reloaded by donations from people like you.
Patients in your community’s healthcare depend on the generosity of blood donors. Unfortunately, blood donation is only performed by 5% of those who are eligible. As such, blood donors make a difference in the lives of patients and their families every time they donate. About 7 million Americans donate blood each year, with about half of them requiring a transfusion.
Patients regularly receive blood transfusions as part of their treatment plan. Since you cannot produce blood outside the body, cancer patients must only rely on blood donations for their therapy. But, my friends, this is just an overview. It will help if you read further to understand the topic better. So, without further ado, let’s start!
Where My Blood Donation Goes?
So, where does my blood donation go? Patients need blood for various reasons, and here are the answers to your question as to where. Well, most people believe that victims of accidents are also the ones who need more blood transfusions. However, this is not always the case. Those who require blood the most include:
- Seeking treatment for cancer;
- Receiving orthopedic care;
- In need of an aortic valve replacement; and
- Receiving treatment for blood diseases that run in families.
Blood Donation For Cancer Patients
Cancer patients require blood transfusions frequently for various reasons, including low blood counts resulting from radiation and chemotherapy side effects, blood loss after surgery, and anemia that may develop as a result of the disease. In addition, leukemia and lymphoma, both blood and bone marrow cancers, require transfusions since the disease impairs the body’s ability to produce blood-forming cells.
The Need For A Diverse Blood Supply
It’s critical to keep a diverse supply of blood on hand. You can only find numerous uncommon blood types in persons who have common distant ancestors. You can find additional information about the significance of a diverse blood supply on blood diversity websites.
Why It’s Critical To Have CMV-Free Blood
Cytomegalovirus, or CMV, is the common name for this virus family. Around 85% of Americans have been exposed to CMV before reaching 40 years old. As a result, the great majority of persons in the US have CMV antibodies in their blood. These antibodies may, however, be harmful to people with compromised immune systems. The use of CMV-negative is, therefore, every day in transfusion recommendations.
In addition, immunocompromised patients and infants infected with the CMV virus may benefit from transfusions of CMV-negative blood products. You may know why was my blood donation rejected.
Types Of Blood Donation
Blood donations come in all shapes and sizes. A blood donor can benefit a maximum of three different patients, depending on how they donate. Different blood components, including plasma, red blood cells, and platelets, can be extracted from a single vial of whole blood using centrifugation.
The most frequent and versatile type of blood donation is whole blood donation. Most of the time, it’s gathered in a pint and divided up to benefit various people. However, to separate plasma from other blood components, it is necessary to use apheresis, which collects plasma from the blood. The blood clotting components in this supplement can aid those who have been in a vehicle accident or are battling illnesses like cancer.
Apheresis is also used to get platelets. Blood cells and other fluids are restored to the blood donor after platelets are removed from the donor’s blood. Due to the critical function platelets play during cancer treatment, cancer patients are most frequently given them. Furthermore, apheresis is used to extract just red blood cells for double red cell donation. Donors will be able to give twice as much blood if they select this option. The therapy is available to everyone who has suffered a loss of blood.
Plasma Donation
An alternative name for this process is plasmapheresis. Plasma donation is a centrifugation operation that separates plasma from the blood. The same is utilized to reintroduce the platelets and red blood cells that were extracted.
Blood plasma can be used to treat people who have life-threatening illnesses such as burns or cancer. It is recommended that people with blood type AB donate plasma since they are the most common kind. Depending on the size of the donation, up to 4 units of plasma can be made available for people in need. Know more about donating plasma: what are the side effects.
It’s A Wrap!
Now, you know where does my blood donation go. One in eight hospital patients requires blood transfusions. The majority of medical treatment today relies on regular donations of blood. As cancer treatment advances, there will be an increased demand for platelet and blood donations.
Since blood is a finite resource that you cannot replenish, many people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds benefit from frequent blood donations because of the generosity of blood donors.
All medical institutions must have enough blood on hand to satisfy the urgent needs of cancer patients and other patients receiving life-saving procedures. Meaning to say, blood donation saves thousands of lives every year. Giving blood is quick and painless, taking about an hour from start to finish. Know why is blood donation important and what to eat before blood donation.