Category Archives: Plasma Donation

Blood Donation in India: What It’s Like?

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As the third largest country in Asia, India has increased blood supply needs. The country needs about 6 to 7.5 million units of blood a year. In 2007, the officials of World Health Organization (WHO) confirmed that there’s 3.6 million voluntary donors in India. The country achieved its highest increase in voluntary donations the next year, which reached 4.6 million.

Voluntary Blood Donation

When the gender distribution statistics was released, it showed only 6% of females give blood while the rest of 94%  of donors were males.

Fifty percent of the total donors belong in young adulthood group (18-24 years old). While the age group 25-44 age bracket are responsible for the 29% of donations. The remaining 19% belong in the 45-65 group.

Among the 28 states in India, Tripura has the largest blood supply filling 95.3% of needs.

The 32 districts of Tamil Nadu comes in second with 9% while West Bengal sat on third with 85.1%. Punjab and Maharashtra came on fourth (84.9%) and fifth (84.8%), respectively.

 

 

The Law & the Indian Red Cross

The human blood is part of the law. It belongs to the third section B of their Drugs & Cosmetics Act.

In 1967, the Ministry of Health includes a number of requirements for blood operation. It added some of the most important requirements a blood bank should have. These requirements include accommodation, technical staff and upgrade of equipment.

The testing for HIV antibodies was made a mandatory requirement in 1989. It was in this same year when AIDS virus was widespread and the Ministry of Health was left with no better option but to become stricter with the blood testing procedures.

So, because of this alarm, the government published the National Blood Policy in 2002.

Its main objective is to provide a risk-free blood products, to improve R&D (Research & Development) and to stop blood profiteering. Earning money for blood donation was illegal.

The Supreme Court of India also gave directives to the central government that a new comprehensive legislation must be made to improve the blood banking system in the country.

The legislation was made to ensure that the collection, storage, testing and distribution were constantly in its highest quality.

Apart from the government, the Indian Red Cross also played an important role in blood donation industry.

Since the operation began in 1962, it became as the largest voluntary blood bank in the country. The IRC has more than 100 chapters and each must organize a donation camps.

Blood Crisis in India

Blood Shortage is Everywhere

Even with great efforts, the blood supply is still low. India experiences a shortage of 30-35% annually.

Dr. Geofrey Denis is the regional division head of International Red Cross and he openly admitted that the country needs 7.5 million blood units every year.

Perhaps, one of the main causes of this shortage is the limited number of blood banks in the northeastern states.

The Manipur and Meghalaya have less than ten banks while the territories in the union (Daman, Diu and Lakshadweep) either only have one bank or nothing at all.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the demand for blood in the country could be attained if only 1% of the population is a regular blood donor.

In fact, the organization recorded an increase of one million in unpaid blood donations in 2007 (3.6 million) and in 2008 (4.6 million).

Unsafe blood transfusion also alarms the blood donation industry.

WHO confirmed the spread of HIV and other blood diseases. Around 5 – 10% of these cases are due to unhygienic practices of transfusion such as needle-sharing and reuse of needles.

The situation caused a stir in everybody’s mind and stricter regulation of transfusion services must be implemented as soon as possible.

The three principles of blood safety in India were put into practice:

  1. Blood transfusion must be obtained through voluntary donors.
  2. The screening process of all blood products must be thorough to ensure of clean and infection-free blood product.
  3. Lastly, the usage of blood and other components must only be according to the need.

Voluntary vs. Involuntary Donation

Unpaid blood donation is always encouraged. It’s the only way of helping a lot of people without expecting something in return.

Yet, due to constant shortages in supply – a new program has to be created.

Suresh is the executive committee member of the Federation of Blood Donors Organisation of India (FBDOI) and he recommends the use of credit card system to invite more donors to donate blood.

“We have demanded introduction of the system in the state to collect more blood units from volunteers. Two years ago, the association had sent about 1,000 post cards to chief minister Naveen Patnaik from Berhampur urging him to introduce the system,” he said.

With this type of system in plan, the demand for blood products is yet to be fulfilled. This year, the expected units of blood in collection is 3 lakh, 2.24 of which comes from voluntary donation.

Rules in Blood Donation

There are certain requirements a donor has to have before donating blood. Either the donor chooses to participate in paid or unpaid blood donations, all qualifications below must be met.

Source:

IndianBloodDonors
The Times of India
IndiaStat.com
Daily News & Analysis
Online Journal of Health & Allied Sciences
IndianExpress
Blood Bank India
CDSCO
ZeeNews India

Blood Plasma – Answer to Fertilizer Shortage?

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Blood supply is not the only vital stock that is going on shortage. Fertilizers to grow fresh produce will be taking a plunge in 20 years or so. The call for alternatives to fertilizers may well be the answer to organic waste disposal and compost.

It seems like global warming and climate change has finally taken its toll on our planet. Farmers yield suffers from fertilizer shortage, causing doubts in food security in parts of the world.

In a recent report, the world will reach the highest possible phosphorus and potassium production by 2030.  Barely 20 years from now, production will take a nose-dive. While there’s still time, the use of both natural elements must be reduced before it’s too late, otherwise we will all starve.

Phosphorus and potassium are two-thirds of the agricultural triumvirate, alongside Nitrogen. But unlike nitrogen which is synthesized from thin air, phosphorus and potassium are found in only a few large deposits spread across the globe in the form of phosphate rock and potash.

Australia and Kenya have experienced fertilizer shortage for this year, and this problem can spread across the world. Shortages have caused an increase in prices which farmers were not prepared to pay February this year. This resulted to boycott and last minute orders.

In order not to starve when that time comes, Tom Philpott’s article in Mother Jones suggests:

“Developing an agriculture that’s ready for a phosphorus shortage means a massive focus on recycling the nutrients we take from the soil back into the soil—in other words, composting, not on a backyard level but rather on a society-wide scale.” 

 This is the time to set our sites on alternative fertilizers to bring better crops. The movement should not be individual effort but a community-based project composting plan.
All of us need food to eat, right?
Last 2009, several photos from China created a stir on the Internet. A blogger posted a series of photos on a Chinese orchard trading forum where she used blood plasma  (human) as fertilizers for plants.
"Blood plasma is being added to water to make as fertilizer"

Blood plasma is being added to water to make as fertilizer

In the photos, you can see a bag of blood plasma being added to water and pots of plants looking healthy on the side. The blogger named “Lailai Huihui” proudly shared about using “high protein fertilizer” that sparked outrage in the online community.

"Plants looking healthy because of "high-protein fertilizer""

Plants looking healthy because of “high-protein fertilizer”

The date on the bag showed that the plasma was drawn on the same day the “high-protein fertilizer” was used on the plants.  The label showed that it was collected on October 3, 2009 and is not due to expire until 2014. It was questioned how a bag of plasma from Chengdu City Blood Center made its way to a flower pot when blood products shouldn’t be disposed easily without permission. An insider told Chongqing Evening News that an employee of the Sichuan Petroleum Hospital had a habit of taking home a bag of plasma for his wife to use for orchid fertilizer.

Wasting blood donations that still have shelf life became a huge issue among the Chinese and people all over the world because blood plasma is donated by generous people to be used to prolong human life -not on plants. The question of ethics stems from the fact that unexpired blood plasma was being used on plants rather than on patients with bleeding disorders or immune system deficiencies. There is no excuse to steal from a blood bank a bag of frozen plasma just to grow healthy plants in our backyard.

But on the other hand, organic waste like blood plasma can shed light to the dimming problem of fertilizer shortage. Putting aside the Chinese incident, blood plasma is high in protein.  Because of this folly, the benefits of plasma to plants is a way to address the fertilizer shortage.

Late 2000 Red Cross has deferred women who have been pregnant or have had transfusions from giving plasma. The mortality rate of patients receiving plasma from both types of women increased from 2003 to 2005. Further study discovered that women who have been pregnant and who received transfusion build anti-bodies that cause the transfusion related acute lung injury or simply put:TRALI.

A lot of women volunteers and other deferred volunteers may have their chance to  save human kind by providing the organic products for agriculture scientists. Time flies and 20 years is a bit nearer than we think. The earlier we explore possibilities, the easier it would be to get prepare for the inevitable.

After all, blood plasma has almost the identical proportion of minerals found in the ocean. Though I do not suggest to legalize the use of fresh or stored blood plasma as plant fertilizer,  maybe we can open our minds to the groundbreaking contribution of blood plasma to growing crops.

I think it’s okay to use blood plasma as plant fertilizers as long as it’s expired and prove to be unhealthy for patients. The shortage of fertilizers across the world is pretty alarming, but if blood plasma can be a big help, why not give it a shot? Fertilizer are food of plants, unless we find a sound alternative we will starve in the next 2 decades.

The best resources in this world is it’s people. If we continue to share a part of ourselves selflessly, we can make ourselves a gift not just for humans but also for plants.

This article only aims to present the two sides of a coin. We condemn the irresponsible use of fresh blood plasma as plant fertilizer; at the same breath, they might be on to something that can stop food shortage too.

 

References:
Donated Human Blood Plasma Used As Plant Fertilizer
Are We Heading Toward Peak Fertilizer?
Chemical Fertilizer vs. Organic Fertilizer

Blood Donation in Chile

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What’s special about Chile? On the map, Chile is the longest country in South America with a distinctive shape of a long narrow strip. Economically-speaking, the country is also considered as one of the most prosperous countries due to its successful foreign investment in 2006 (Country of Studies – Library of Congress, 1994).

As for its campaign for blood donation, its Ministry of Health formulated a strategic plan to keep the blood supply safe and risk-free. It also organized a service that gives guarantee to all its blood products, which are thoroughly screened for transfusion (Science Direct, 2010).

The process of accessing blood transfusion services is difficult. When a study was conducted in 2007, the researchers found out four unfavorable factors as to why this situation occurs. These factors include low donation rate, fewer number of voluntary donors, disorganization in the collection process and the insufficiency of national standards.

 

In 2009, Rolando Jimenez, the president of Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation (MOVILH), submitted a request to the country’s health minister (Alvaro Erazo) for the elimination of blood bank questionnaire items that disfavors against gay men from donating blood.

Erazo approved the request as of February that same year. For Erazo, items that question the person’s sexual orientation and sexual habits clearly dishonor the person’s credibility. These types of questions are not making sense. That’s why; he gave a directive that those gay men must not be advised to go through a series of blood testing once they reveal their sexual orientation.

In May 2012, the new health minister (Jaime Mañalich) approved a similar law and clearly stated that it “made no sense from a scientific standpoint and even less when taking discrimination into consideration.”

Even with the implementation of this law, however; violent attack against homosexuals in the country is still widespread. Three members of LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transsexual) Community were murdered in 2011, in which the discrimination cases rose to 34%.

Blood Supply & Blood Donors are Needed

Chile needs 250,000 blood donations annually. Its metropolitan areas need the help of public assistance centers, collecting 100,000 donations. The collected units will be transfused to people who needs major surgeries due to cancer and multiple trauma.

Chileans are qualified blood donors should they are between 18 and 65 years old and weigh more than fifty kilos. Collection center donors always advise potential donors to have a nutritious meal six hours before the actual donation.

Pregnant or women who have recently gave birth are not allowed to donate blood in order to avoid health complications to both donor and recipient. People are often disqualified if they have a history heart disease, respiratory and renal failure because of the effect of the loss of blood will have to their bodies.

* * *

Do your part, give blood now.


Source: Science Direct, The Prisma, Donasangre, Blabbeando, Elespectador, Minsal

Blood Donation in Mexico: What It’s Like?

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Thoughts on blood donation is not a regular thing for people- unless it is a part of your life. Just the same, not too many people people know much about what goes on in the community when it comes to blood donation. As part of the advocacy for blood donation, we have been posting articles on blood systems from several places with a hope that after being read will have more awareness.

This post is focused on the blood system in Mexico and the effect it has on those living in the area. Unlike most countries, Mexico blood supply is collected, stored and transfused by and in the hospitals. This kind of system is disorganized and spells an epic fail for patients and their families.

Without malice, this system is dysfunctional and costs lives. Several years ago, the effect of the system had caused a blood shortage. This is the reason why several citizens attempted to cross the border. This practice is not the best solution to stop the crisis but it’s their only way of getting fresh and clean blood supply for transfusion.

Mexican Blood Supply Crisis

The blood supply in Mexico is so low that it’s not enough to meet the needs of more than 1 million people. Back in 1999, there were 1,092,741 volunteer donors registered and was 65,488 less donors in 2 years time. The turn of the century recorded just 1,027,253 donors, which made the ratio of blood donation at 10 donors for every 1,000 people. 

Today, the of blood donors per populace is at 148 donors/ 10,000 people.

The Fuse for Hope

Several years ago a woman was brought in and diagnosed to be bleeding internally. Her son who brought her there was surprised that instead of getting papers to release bags of blood for his mother, he was told to look for the blood his mother needs to survive. Martin Gomez had called every hospital looking for type O negative blood his mother needs- her blood type is the rarest in that area. Disheartened he went to appeal for donors in television and radio shows where he was able to get 1 volunteer. Exhausting all efforts looking in Mexico he decided to cross the border and get the blood his mother needs in El Paso through the United Blood Services. Unfortunately despite succeeding in getting enough units of blood and smuggling it into Mexico, Martin’s mother died.

Martin now works for United Blood Services (UBS) and serves as a recruitment personnel for the non-profit organization. Despite the death of his mother, Martin is helping a northern Mexico blood bank fix the broken system. Through him and UBS, the received proper training and equipment that help make the state blood transfusion center continually gather volunteer donors.

Mexican Red Cross

Daniel Goñi, the president for the Mexican Red Cross strives hard to collect more blood units and get more regular donors. There are 60,000 lives to be saved and with enough blood supply there is less grieving to do.

In accidents alone, Mexico had 24,000 road accident fatalities for 2010. Trauma and these kinds of accidents clean out blood supply a hospital will have in stock.

“The high rate of road crashes poses a serious public health problem in our country and disproportionally affects our children and youth. The most affected group is at the same time our strongest means to curb the disastrous trend – our youth and volunteers will remain the key to saving lives and contributing to national road safety prevention targets.” Goñi said.

Though road safety programs helped the fatalities tally drop 25% last year, Mexicans will still have to work on keeping supply full.

Today, the town of Chihuahua has the highest percentage of volunteer donors in Mexico. Blood drives focus on getting more college students volunteering and donating to make a stronger foundation for future donors. The Mexican blood supply system is going through revolutionary changes and successful blood drives is the start to battling blood shortage.

Just like other blood donors in other countries, you’re allowed to give blood should you meet the requirements for blood donation.

The lower limit for donating blood is eighteen and the upper limit is 65. You should weigh 50 kg. but not more than 100 kg. Donating is easy, all you have to do is  present a photo ID (diver’s license, passport and voter’s card) to fill out a form. When the form is done, donors go through assessment before actual blood giving.

Click here for more information

 

Source:

Fronteras
IdeaComInternational
BajaInsider
IFRC
NCBI – Safety of the Blood Supply in Latin America
CleveLand
NPR.org

Blood Donation in China: What it’s like?

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According to China Daily, the latest statistics for July 2012 show that only 1% of China’s population donate blood. The World Health Organization (WHO) has pegged 1% of the population as the minimum requirement for this country to have enough blood supply. However, expressed in whole numbers, 1% is equivalent to just 118 million volunteer donors to sustain blood supply for the 1,344,130,000 citizens in China.

The Chinese government implemented their first blood donation law in 1998- when the age range for blood donors is from 18 to 55 years old. The same law has gone through changes since then- the most important change would be the the age limit to 60 years old. Though donations increased .87% since the age limit update, the Chinese government will still have to think of a better program to get a younger set of donors. The donor increase due to age limit is not significant to promise a stable blood supply in the future.

No Paid Donation
Blood donors aren’t paid in China, they are given treatment benefits instead. In Hunan province, a blood donor who donated 2 pints of blood (900 ml) receives three-times the volume when needed (benefit includes the donor’s immediate family). Donors who give below 1 1/2 pint (600 ml) will receive twice the amount.

There’s a down-side to this benefit program though. If hospitalized, the donor can’t claim their blood benefit for free. The benefit of having stocked blood for free is useless when the donor has to claim the units of blood needed at the particular center they donated in. The process would seem pointless since no one knows they would need blood unless hospitalized.

China Blood Needs Increase Each Year
China needs 4,000 tons of blood every day; in three years time, the demand for blood products goes up. When this happens, the country needs 120,000 volunteer donors.
Provinces around China would have to increase their donor list to prepare for this.

Deferred Donors
Chinese battle against the dreaded disease started when the virus was found in 1984. The ban on import of blood products was the first preventive step the country took when a teenage hemopheliac died because of infected blood. Despite the import ban, HIV/AIDS still spread and went out of control in 1989. This was the year that the viral outbreak started with needle sharing by drug users.

China had banned homosexual donors since the first case of HIV emerged. The government had decided to ban homosexuals from donating blood to keep transfusions safe.

Lifted Ban
Just this year, the 14-year old ban on lesbian donors was lifted. For the years the ban was in place, officials were convinced that banning all homosexuals will stop the spread of AIDS.

Ideas and views on this issue have changed and lesbians are considered low risk groups for contracting AIDS. Though the lesbian community has scored a success, they still long for all homosexuals to be allowed to donate blood and save a life.

Last March, China was at the brink of blood shortage. The contrast between the donor ratio to population is seen as the culprit here. The countries answer to the emergency was to get as many citizens eligible for donation. Since they have lifted the ban on lesbians, blood supplies will have to make a significant increase- or else.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source:
ChinaSmack
AsianCorrespondent
China.org
Asian Correspondent – China’s Blood Shortage by the Numbers
United Nations Development Programme – China

In Focus: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center (GCRBC)

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Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center is an independent and non-profit organization that is accredited by Food & Drug Administration. The center was founded way back in January 1, 1975 and is a member of state authorities such as American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), America’s Blood Centers (ABC), Blood Centers of America (BCA), South Central Association of Blood Banks (SCABB) and Texas Medical Center (TMC).

There are more than 700 employees currently working at the blood center. For a center with a large work force, they are driven by their mission to make service available to the community. Serving the gulf coast states enable them to reach out, supply and serve more than 170 health care institutions that are located in Texas Gulf Coast, in Brazos Valley and in East Texas.

To be able to stop blood shortages in supply, The Blood Center has 17 branches opened around the state for every donor along the Gulf of Mexico. Each center involves itself in finding ways to promote visits to their donation drives and donate blood and blood products. For the past year (well on to this year), The Blood Center aim to collect more than 300,000 blood units. This goal will make sure that the area has enough blood to meet the needs of scheduled surgeries and operations as well as emergency or trauma cases. To be able to reach that goal, GRCBC needs a 1,000 donations every day to be able to succeed.

What to Donate:

The center mainly accepts donations in a form of whole blood, platelet, plasma and double red blood cells. About one pint of whole blood is asked for each session. Every whole blood donation is either used for direct transfusion or separated into different components.

In 1991, Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center became an accredited member for National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP). Since then, The Blood Center raises awareness on and recruit bone marrow donations from different races and ethnic groups.

Bone Marrow Donations:

To be a qualified bone marrow donor, you must be between 18 to 60 and in perfect good shape. Your weight requirement must be based on the results of your body mass index. Your weight in kilograms has to be divided by the square of your height in meters.

Similar to blood donation, you’re not a qualified blood donor if you’re diagnosed with blood diseases such as HIV, hepatitis and uncontrollable hypertension. If you have serious back problems, consider consulting your doctor.

Donation Pay:  None

Incentive Program:

You’ll receive incentives when you Commit for Life!

Commit for Life is a program that was launched in 2003. It’s primary objective is to create a partnership with loyal donors to give blood (about once per quarter).

You can earn points by being a member of Commit for Life. You’re given access to online scheduling and online store. If you’re a gold-level member, you’ll enjoy the perks of having a four-credit advance health check-up. You’ll receive updated newsletters and you can join raffles too.

Gulf Cost Regional also value the importance of education. Education is one of the important keys of a successful life.

For this, the center offers a number of research grants and scholarships to those professionals who want to lift their careers into the next level.

These professionals are given the chance to undergo thorough training in blood banking and its other related disciplines. There’s also an offer of 12-month online training program, in which you’re no longer required to report on-site.

Schedules & Donating Centers:

The Gulf Coast Regional has sixteen branches in the country. In the table below, you’ll be given the exact addresses as well as their operating hours every day. IMPORTANT: Contacting the center before visiting is fully appreciated.

Blood Centers  Address: Schedule:

Bill T. Teague Neighborhood Donor Center (Headquarters)

1400 La Concha Lane Houston, TX, 77054

Contact #:(713)791-6620

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Baytown Neighborhood Donor Center

5010 Garth Road, Suite 210 Baytown, TX, 77521

Contact #:(281)421-2555

Sun: 8 AM – 4 PM

Mon – Thu:10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Champions Neighborhood Donor Center

6935 FM 1960 W, Suite A Houston, TX 77069

Contact #:(281)440-5900

Sun: 8 AM – 4 PM

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Clear Lake Neighborhood Donor Center

1153 Clear Lake City Boulevard Houston, TX 77062

Contact #:(281)447-0053

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Conroe Neighborhood Donor Center

2125 N Loop 336 W Conroe, TX, 77304

Contact #:(936)760-4430

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Cy-Fair Neighborhood Donor Center

11811 FM 1960 West Suite 120 Houston, TX 77065

Contact #:(281)469-1964

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Humble/Kingwood Neighborhood Donor Center

9616 FM 1960 Bypass West Humble, TX 77338

Contact #:(281)446-5955

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Katy Neighborhood Donor Center

1575 S. Grand Parkway, Suite 600 Katy, TX 77494

Contact #:(281)392-7902

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Pasadena Neighborhood Donor Center

5124 Fairmont Parkway Pasadena, TX 77505

Contact #:(281)487-1055

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Pearland Neighborhood Donor Center

9223 W Broadway St., Suite 119, Pearland, TX 77584

Contact #:(713)436-7722

Sun: 8 AM – 4 PM

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Sugar Land Neighborhood Donor Center

4949 Sweetwater Boulevard Sugar Land TX, 77479

Contact #:(281)313-1122

Sun: 8 AM – 4 PM

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Westchase Neighborhood Donor Center

10001 Westheimer Road, Suite 2117 Houston, TX 77042

Contact #:(832)242-7600

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Woodlands Neighborhood Donor Center

3091 College Park Drive, Suite 130 The Woodlands, TX 77384

Contact #:(936)321-8440

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Blood Center – East Texas

3520 North University Drive Nacogdoches, TX 75965

Contact #:(936)560-3054

Sun: Closed

Mon – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: 8 AM – 2 PM

Lufkin Neighborhood Donor Center

202 South Franklin St., Lufkin TX 75904

Contact #:(936)634-2116

Sun: Closed

Mon: Closed

Tue – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: 8 AM – 2 PM

Blood Center – Brazos Valley

1701 Rock Prairie Road, College Station, TX 77845

Contact #:(979)764-5600

Sun: Closed

Mon: Closed

Tue – Thu: 10 AM – 6 PM

Fri – Sat: 8 AM – 4 PM

Are you looking for some online maps and testimonials? We got that one covered and free of charge, simply visit this directory and you got it all there.

Source: Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center

In Focus: New York Blood Center

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New York Blood Center (NYBC) is one of the largest non-profit Food & Drug Administration-approved organizations in United States. It began its operations in 1964 in with the primary objective to collect, test and distribute blood components to over 200 hospitals. Back then the area NYBC covered was home to 22 million people in New York City, New Jersey, Hudson Valley, Long Island and selected areas in Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

In 1989, the NYBC started to collect bone marrow in 1989 with a registry of 200,000 donors listed. Their aim was to recruit over 230,000 potential bone marrow donors for surgeries, harvest and transplants. All qualified bone marrow donors are aged 18 to 60 years old, male or female and pass the test for compatible Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) markers.

The NYBC further expanded it’s services in 1992 when the National Cord Blood Program (NCBP) was opened. The program accepts cord blood donations from married couples who are expecting a baby. Records show that over 60,000 parents have already donated their newborn’s cord blood in NYBC-NCBP.

Donation percentages for cord blood since then are:

48% are Caucasian
21% are Hispanic-American
20% are African-American
8% are Asian-American

Donations Accepted:

Specific type blood components are donated in NYBC:  whole blood, plasma, red blood cell or platelet. A qualified donor weighs 110 pounds; from age 17 to 75 years old. Donors  must have no history of malignant diseases. As for all registries, NYBC requires donors to present a legal ID that shows the signature.

Able donors aged 16 need to present a consent form signed by the parent/ parents; having a parent or legal guardian would make verification and donation easier.

All donations can either be for personal use or donated as stock supply for hospitals or a particular patient.

Donation Pay: 0

Perks: You’ll be served with refreshments after donation process.

Schedules & Operating Hours:

New York Blood Center

Manhattan

  BLOOD DONATIONS  PLATELET DONATIONS

Citicorp

601 Lexington Avenue New York NY 100022 – Lower Level

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM (Blood)

12:30 – 5:10 PM (Platelets)

Tuesday

8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

8:00 AM – 12:40 PM

Wednesday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM

Thursday

Closed

Closed

Friday

Closed

Closed

Saturday

8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

8:00 AM – 12:40 PM

Sunday

9:30 AM – 3:15 PM

9:00 AM – 1:40 PM

Met Life Donor Center

200 Park Avenue New York NY 10017 – Lobby Level

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

7:30 AM – 1:45 PM

7:30 AM – 12:10 PM (Platelets)

Tuesday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM

Wednesday

Closed

Closed

Thursday

Closed

Closed

Friday

7:30 AM – 1:45 PM

7:30 AM – 12:10 PM

Saturday

Closed

Closed

Sunday

Closed

Closed

Port Authority

625 Eighth Avenue New York NY, 10018 – Main Floor

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM (Blood)

Closed (Platelets)

Tuesday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM

Wednesday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM

Thursday

Closed

Closed

Friday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM

Saturday

Closed

Closed

Sunday

Closed

Closed

Upper East Side

310 East 67th Street New York, NY 10065 – Lobby

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

8:30 AM – 2:45 PM (Blood)

Closed (Platelets)

Tuesday

12:00 PM – 6:15 PM

12:00 PM – 4:40 PM

Wednesday

8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

8:00 AM – 12:40 PM

Thursday

12:00 PM – 6:45 PM

12:00 PM – 4:40 PM

Friday

8:00 AM – 2:15 PM

8:00 AM – 12:40 PM

Saturday

7:30 AM – 2:15 PM

7:30 AM – 12:10 PM

Sunday

9:30 AM – 3:45 PM

9:30 – 2:10 PM

Staten Island

Pergament Mall Donor Center

2791 Richmond Avenue. Staten Island, NY 10314

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM (Blood)

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM (Platelets)

Tuesday

Closed

Closed

Wednesday

9:30 AM – 3:45 PM

9:30 AM – 2:10 PM

Thursday

Closed

Closed

Friday

Closed

Closed

Saturday

8:30 AM – 3:15 PM

8:30 AM – 1:10 PM

Sunday (2nd & 4th)

8:30 AM – 3:15 PM

8:30 AM – 1:10 PM

Brooklyn

120 Lawrence Street, Brooklyn NY 11201

Contact #: 800-933-2566

Monday

12:30 PM – 6:45 PM (Blood)

12:30 PM – 5:10 PM (Platelets)

Tuesday

Closed

Closed

Wednesday

Closed

Closed

Thursday

8:30 AM – 2:45 PM

8:30 AM – 1:10 PM

Friday

Closed

Closed

Saturday

9:30 AM – 3:45 PM

9:30 AM – 2:10 PM

Sunday (1st, 3rd & 5th )

9:30 AM – 3:45 PM

9:30 AM – 2:10 PM

NYBB has also 6 branches in Long Island, 3 in New Jersey (in Middlesex, in Somerset and in Union) and 5 in Hudson Valley. If you’ll visit the NYBC website, you’ll see the exact map of each donor center, its locations as well as its driving directions.

For contact numbers and online maps, see this directory.

Source:

NYBloodCenter.org

In Focus: Community Blood Center Ohio

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Community Blood Center (CBC) is a non-for-profit organization that started its operation in September 1964. Its first headquarters was situated at the base camp in Fidelity Medical Building in Dayton, Ohio.

A year after its founding, the CBC already served all general hospitals in Dayton. In 1967, it decided to further extend its blood distribution services to 24 hospitals in 15 countries.

It was in 1994 when CBC changed its name to Community Tissue Services (CTS). For this, new branches were opened in 10 different cities. These cities are Fresno, Fort Worth, Portland, Medford, Indianapolis, Boise, Toledo, Memphis, Indiana and Connersville. From then onwards, the bank provided blood tissue services in more than 2,000 hospitals across the nation.

What to Donate:

Community Blood Center accepts whole blood donation, plasma, platelets and bone marrow. For whole and other blood components, qualifying donor should be 17 years old and in perfect health condition. Perfect health condition means you need to feel 100% before and during the day of donation.

You’ll surely pass the series of screening should you weigh at least 110 pounds. You must also present the CBC donor card with your photo upon arrival.

You’re only allowed to donate whole blood every 56 days. For plasma and platelet donation (apheresis), the recommended frequency is 28 days and once in seven days for platelets-respectively.

You’re permanently deferred as a donor should you’re sick with malignant diseases such as hepatitis, HIV, CJD and other blood diseases.

Anyone interest in donating but is just 16 years old is still allowed to donate as long as their parents sign the downloadable consent form. The form must be signed by the parents or court appointed guardian. Submit this to the assigned chairperson when you arrive at a blood drive.

Donation Pay: none

Schedules & Operating Hours:

Making appointments is important and all types of donors are encouraged to call the center before visiting. For contact numbers and online maps, see this directory.

All CBC branches are Food & Drug Administration-accredited and their laboratories have thoroughly passed the standards mandated by Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments (CLIA). The CBC is a member of American Association of Blood Banks (AABB) and their tissue banking services are accredited by American Association of Tissue Banks (AATB).

Therefore, rest assured that when you visit one of the branches listed below, everything that you need and expect are simply around you.

Map for Community Blood Centers in Ohio and Indiana

Community Blood Center Areas in Ohio

Community Blood Center

Community Blood Centers – Dayton

349 S. Main Street Dayton, OH 45402

Contact #: (937) 461-3450

Mon – Thu: 8 AM – 6 PM

Fri: 7 AM – 4 PM

Sat: 7 AM – 12 NN

Community Blood Center – Middletown

3990 Roosevelt Blvd., Suite C Middletown, OH 45044

Contact #: (513) 727-1995

Mon: Closed

Tue: 12 NN – 7 PM

Wed: 11:30 AM – 6:30PM

Thu: 2 – 6:30 PM

Fri: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM

Sat: Closed

Community Blood Center – Richmond

4450 Garwood Place Richmond, IN 47374

Contact #: (765) 962-6329

Mon: 2 – 6:30 PM

Tue: 8 AM – 4 PM

Wed: 11 AM – 6:30 PM

Thu: 2 PM – 6:30 PM

Fri: 8 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Community Blood Center – Springfield

2200 N. Limstone St. Suite 106 Springfield, OH 45503

Contact #: (937) 399-2611

Mon: 9 AM

Tue/Wed: 3 – 7 PM

Thu: 11 AM – 4 PM

Sat: Closed

Community Blood Center – West Chester

8731 Union Center Blvd. West Chester, OH 45069

Contact #: 537-6766

Mon: Closed

Tue: 10 AM – 7 PM

Wed: 8 AM – 5 PM

Thu: 3 – 7 PM

Fri: 7:30 AM – 4 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – Noon

A lot of communities rely on donors to sustain the blood supply. When disaster strikes or an influx of unscheduled surgeries happen a dent in the stocks will mean lost lives. Which is why we are thankful that blood centers such as CBC exists. Blood centers play an important role in preserving a quality healthcare in Ohio and its nearby cities.

Source:

CBCCTS.org

In Focus: Central Blood Bank

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Central Blood Bank (CBB) is a not-for-profit FDA-accredited organization that is responsible for the collection of blood units and for the delivery of transfusion products in more than forty hospitals in the Pittsburgh tri-state area. Founding CBB was inspired by the series of events that occurred during World War I when hundreds of people decided to give a pint of blood to save the wounded and the sick. The Pittsburgh Jaycess and four other physicians even established an organization to help the needs of the community.

The organization started with only 14-staff operation that served seven hospitals. Back then they collected, tested and stored 5,000 units of blood to serve these hospitals.

It has been 61 years and the CBB has grown to 330 employees in Pittsburgh tri-state area. The bank hired more employees to serve the 40 hospitals in the area; they now collect 170,000 units of blood annually which makes them the main distributor of quality blood products.

Years of experience in blood collecting, testing and distribution enabled CBB to develop the field of transfusion medicine. The organization established The Institute For Transfusion Medicine(sm)   that provides a coordinated approach to blood processing service for the community.      

CBB Service saves lives

CBB delivers blood products to be transfused sick individuals; like  Joey Folino.

Joey was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukeima (AML) in 2007 (centralbloodbank.org, 2012). With the help of CBB, Joey receives twenty transfusions of red blood cells and ten transfusions of platelets in Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. From the time he got out of the hospital, he still had to see his doctor three times a week before being pronounced 100% cured. Before Joey got sick he was into different kinds of sports, now that he had survived has gone back to playing for his teams.

What to Donate:

All eligible blood donors are allowed to donate: whole blood, plasma, double red blood cells and platelets. As long as you are 17 years old and above and weigh at least 110 pounds- the key to being allowed to donate is to eat healthy and to stay away from alcohol and drugs. Donors can donate every 56 days, as long as they pass the physical examinations and assessments. It’s also important that you’re not diagnosed with sexually-transmitted diseases such as HIV and hepatitis.

To save your time, you can make an appointment online and get a DonorPass. This is an online form that can complete days before your appointment. Just get the pass printed and hand it to the staff at the center or blood drives.

Every donor is a Volunteer Hero

Blood centers don’t pay donors, but they have a rewards program: the Brighten Life (BL) Reward Program. For every donation you make, you can get points and once you’ve gotten enough points you get gift card rewards. The gift cards can be from Starbucks, iTunes, Wal-Mart and Home Depot- depending on availability.

Schedules & Center Hours:

The CBB owns a total of 25 centers throughout the state. All centers collect whole blood donation and only a few collect other blood components (plasma, platelets and red blood cells); find out what donation you would want to make and get an appointments by calling 1-866-DONORS-1.

Donor Center

Address

Time of Operation for Whole Blood Donation

Armstrong Country Memorial Hospital Donor Center

Conference Room #1, 1 Nolte Drive Kittanning, PA

2nd Mon of the month:

12 noon – 7:00 PM

Beaver Donor Center

345 College Avenue, Beaver

Tue: 12 noon – 7 PM

Butler Donor Center

127 Oneida Valley Road Suite #206

Mon, Wed, Thurs: 12 noon – 7 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Cranberry Donor Center

20421 Route 19 Butler Center, 2nd Floor, Cranberry Township

Tue, Wed, Thurs: 12 noon – 7PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Crawford Country Donor Center

Community Center, 1034 Park Avenue Meadville

Sun: 11 AM – 3:00 PM

Mon: 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Downtown Pittsburgh Donor Center

Law & Finance Building, 429 4th Avenue Pittsburgh, PA

Tue, Thurs: 12 noon – 7 PM

Fox Chapel Donor Center

1378 Freeport Road Suites 1A & 1B

Tue: 12 noon – 7 PM

Fri & Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Franklin Donor Center

Knights of Columbus, 1436 Liberty Street

1st Thursday of the month: 3:00 – 7:00 PM

Green Tree CDC Donor Center

Five Parkway Center, 875 Greentree Road

Wed & Thurs: 12 – 7 PM

Tue & Fri: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Greensburg Donor Center

6044 State Route, 30 Suite, 300 Greensburg

Tue: 12 – 7 PM

Thurs: 7 AM – 12 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Greenville Donor Center

100 Hadley Road, Suite #2

Wed: 12 – 7 Pm

Sat: 7 AM – 2 PM

Groove City Donor Center

12 Pine Groove Village Drive Shopping Center

Tue & Thu: 12 noon – 7 PM

Jameson Health System – South Donor Center

Jameson Hospital, 1000 South Mercer St. New Castle

Tue: 3:00 – 7:00 PM

Kittanning Donor Center

West Kittanning Fire Dept, 401 Arthur St.

4th Sun of the month: 12 noon – 7 PM

Monroeville Donor Center

4075 Monroeville Boulevard Monroeville

Tue, Wed, Thurs: 12 noon – 7:00 PM

Moon Township Donor Center

Edgetowne Square, 1005 Beaver Grade Road Coraopolis

Mon, Tue, Wed: 12 noon – 7:00 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Natrona Heights Donor Center

Heights Plaza, 1703 Union Avenue

Tue & Thurs: 12 noon – 7 PM

Oil City Donor Center

Elks Lodge – Dining Hall, 111 Sycamore St.

2nd Thu of the month: 3:00 – 7:00 PM

Peters Township Donor Center

Center Presbyterian Church, 255 Center Church Road McMurray

Thurs: 12:30 – 7:00 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

South Hills Donor Center

The Manor Building, 4701 Baptist Road

Mon & Tue: 12noon– 7:00 PM

Fri & Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

St. Clair Hospital Donor Center

1000 Bower Hill Road, 2nd Floor behind the cafeteria, Conference center 2

Fri, Sat. & Sun: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Washington Donor Center

Jefferson Court Plaza, 124 West Chestnut St.

Tue & Thurs: 12nn – 7:00 PM

Wed: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM

Sat: 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM

Weirton Donor Center

St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 300 Three Springs Drive

Mon: 1:00 – 6:15 PM

Wheeling Donor Center

Wheeling Hospital Clinic, 16th St. 2nd Floor, Wheeling

2nd & 4th Tue of the month: 2:00 – 6:00 PM

 

Source:

CentralBloodBank.org

Blood transfusion through the eyes of different religions

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Blood and Organ donation are probably two of the noblest acts any person can do. When you donate 1 pint of blood, you are saving 3 lives. Organ donation is something that both the living and the dead can do. Transplant an organ to a relative, a friend or a complete stranger extends lives- a very heroic act not all would wholeheartedly do. We have heard and read stories of how lives were saved because of people who went an extra mile of love to donate blood and organs. It is a wonder that there are groups of people from different beliefs around the world who regard blood and organ donations as something that is unnatural?

We live in a world divided among culture, language and belief all because we live in different parts of the world. There was a news story on how a couple had dilemmas while considering blood transfusion to save their daughter’s life: to use the procedure or to lose favor in their church. Reading about similar stories make me wonder, at the cost of saving a life, can’t differences be set aside?

I came across this image on the Internet several days ago and it was one thing that made me try and look if it were true. Technically, the phrase on the image was a metaphor which reminds people of the sacrifice that Jesus Christ made for the sake of all. Since blood transfusion and donation had not been around in those early days, the phrase is about receiving a lease on life by the blood of Jesus.

Red Cross First Blood Donor

He is the Original Blood Donor Ephesians 1:7

Though biblical in nature, the phrase made me wonder how different religions see blood donation in this day and age.

The Anglicans find organ donation and transplantation as acceptable because they believe that sacrifice for others reflects the Christian principle of interdependence within the human community.

The monotheistic religion Baha’i Faith also supports donation and transplantation because there is nothing in the Baha’i teaching which prohibits donation.

Baptists, Catholic Church, Greek Orthodox Church, Hinduism, Unitarian Universalist and Religious Society of Friends allow medical procedures like transplants because it is seen as an act of charity and giving of human organs can alleviate the suffering of others.

For some religions, it took them time to reconcile their beliefs and religious tenets with medical breakthroughs and technology. The Islam used to forbid organ donation, but in 1983 the Moslem Religious Council reversed its position- as long as donors provide a written consent before their death. The Muslims allow blood and organ donation under three rules:
Rule 1- It causes major benefit to the recipient
Rule 2- It should not have a major loss to the person donating
Rule 3- It should not be done for money.
Donations and transplants are allowed whether the recipient is a Muslim or non-Muslim. Islam faith believes in the principle of saving human life.

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Community in USA launched the 2nd annual “Muslims for Life” blood drive campaign this year to honor the victims of the 9/11 attack 11 years ago. Last year, they collected 11,803 pints of blood and this year they are aim to collect 11,000 units of blood to help save as many as 33,000 lives. This annual blood drive is held to reiterate the message that Islam puts strong importance in the value of life.

The Episcopal church took a long time to pass a resolution in 1982 that recommends the life-giving benefits of blood, tissue and organ donation. Today they encourage their members to donate organ, blood or tissue as “part of their ministry to others”.

Some religions allow it while some took a while to see the benefit in blood donation and organ transplants. While there are religions that are on the fence with it and state that they leave it to the members’ individual conscience to donate or not such.

One of the oldest religions has now opted to vaguely state that Buddhists are free to donate blood or accept transplants if their conscience doesn’t bother them. The same goes for the members of Christian Science, they give a thinly veiled statement that the procedure is not the norm in their community.

Yet until now there are also religions and people who strictly prohibit blood, organ and tissue donation.

Shinto or Shintoism is a religion in Japan that forbids any form of donation or transplantation because they believe that a dead body is considered to be dangerous and impure. For them the dead body is powerful and injuring it by organ donation is a serious crime.

The Roma, whose way of life is dominated by beliefs rather than religion, opposes donation and transplantation in any form. They believe that the soul retraces its steps for one year after a person dies. All the body parts must be intact and complete because the soul maintains a physical shape.

The Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that the bible does not allow ingesting blood. Because of this, Jehovah’s Witnesses should not donate blood or accept blood transfusions, even in emergency.
They based this doctrine upon three passages in the bible, which according to them, prohibit the consuming of blood.
Genesis 9:4: “But flesh (meat) with…blood…ye shall not eat”
Leviticus 17:12-14: “…No soul of you shall eat blood…whosoever eateth it shall be cut off”
Acts 15:29: “That ye abstain…from blood…”

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that blood is sacred to God and it can only be used for the atonement for sins. For them, Abstinence from blood is an act of faith which means that only the shed blood of Jesus can redeem them or save their life. In short, they cannot donate or receive blood, even in situations when a family member needs it so badly.

A member of the Jehovah’s Witness who knowingly receives a blood transfusion is believed to have committed a sin, are shunned by the members of the organization and will lose an eternal life.

While there are others who badly want to donate blood but could not do it due to blood donation policy restrictions (such as the LGBT society), there are also those who couldn’t donate and receive blood even if they wanted to due to religious doctrines. This has became a controversial issue because all people have the right to life and no religion could dictate whether you live or not.

red cross on red heart

A Blood Donor Saved My Life

We respect the beliefs of other denomination with regard to blood and organ donation, but here in BloodBanker, we stay firm with our principle that to give blood is to give love. Since blood only comes from generous donors, giving a part of yourself without expecting anything in return is the true measure of altruism.

Religion has sometimes pushed or prohibited us from doing certain things even if it is against our will. If you are a follower of Jesus Christ, you would imitate His way of life. He healed and saved others on Sabbath Day, even if religious people found it improper to do a thing on such day. It is in the bible that helping those in need doesn’t follow a pattern nor a schedule- Jesus did his best to heal anyone who needed it.

No matter what you believe in, if you are healthy enough to give blood or donate organs, then please do so. Doing good will never be bad-let us help save lives whenever we could.

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