Donating Blood: A Precious Gift

Donating blood is one of the most precious gifts you can give to another person. When you donate blood, you give the gift of life. A decision to donate blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.

There is a constant need for individuals to donate blood because blood can only be stored for a limited time before it needs to be used. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed!

If you have been thinking about becoming a blood donor, or you have given blood before and would like another opportunity to donate again, we are hosting a Community Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 17th from 8:00am-1:00pm! The address of the event is 26 State Avenue (Suite 102) in Carlisle, PA.

For some, the experience of donating blood is very personal. For others, the thought of donating blood can be a bit intimidating. In honor of our blood drive, here are a few things to know in advance to help you prepare:

Getting Ready to Donate

Determine if you are eligible. Each country’s blood service has different requirements in place to be eligible to donate blood.

You have to be healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness. Avoid donating blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a virus, or an upset stomach. Certain prescribed medications, such as antibiotics, can make you ineligible to donate blood.
You must weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kg.
You have to be old enough. In many jurisdictions, parental permission is required for anyone under the age of 18 to give blood.
You can only donate blood every 56 days.
Do not give blood if you have had simple dental work done within 24 hours or major dental work in the past month.

Eat iron-rich foods. Since blood production requires iron, you should eat iron-rich foods before donating. This will help you have strong blood for donation and help you better recuperate afterwards!

Hydrate yourself. To prepare your body for the loss of blood, you need to drink plenty of water or fruit juice the night and morning before you donate. The leading cause of faintness and dizziness when you give blood is a drop in blood pressure or blood sugar.

Get a good night’s rest. Before you donate blood, you should have proper sleep. This will help you feel better and more alert when you give blood, which will help reduce the risk of any adverse reactions to the process.

Eat three hours before your donation. Never give blood if you have not eaten that day. Eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, which will help you feel better after you have donated blood. Having food in your system helps to ward off lightheadedness and fainting. You should eat something healthy that fills you up but doesn’t make you feel stuffed.

Avoid certain activities. In the hours leading up to your appointment, you need to avoid certain activities that may hurt your chances of donating. You should not smoke within the hour leading up to your appointment. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages in the 24 hours before you donate. You should also not chew gum, mints, or candy in the hours before your donation because it could make the temperature in your mouth go up, which could mimic the temperature of a fever.

For more information about our upcoming Blood Drive, please contact us online or call 1-800-771-0059. When you come to the Blood Drive, please make sure that you have a form of identification. All donors will receive a FREE t-shirt thanking them for their generous donation!

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    [post_content] => Donating blood is one of the most precious gifts you can give to another person. When you donate blood, you give the gift of life. A decision to donate blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma — which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.

There is a constant need for individuals to donate blood because blood can only be stored for a limited time before it needs to be used. Regular blood donations by a sufficient number of healthy people are needed to ensure that safe blood will be available whenever and wherever it is needed!

If you have been thinking about becoming a blood donor, or you have given blood before and would like another opportunity to donate again, we are hosting a Community Blood Drive on Wednesday, August 17th from 8:00am-1:00pm! The address of the event is 26 State Avenue (Suite 102) in Carlisle, PA.

For some, the experience of donating blood is very personal. For others, the thought of donating blood can be a bit intimidating. In honor of our blood drive, here are a few things to know in advance to help you prepare:



Getting Ready to Donate

Determine if you are eligible. Each country's blood service has different requirements in place to be eligible to donate blood.


 	You have to be healthy, fit, and not suffering from a current illness. Avoid donating blood if you have a cold, a cold sore, a cough, a virus, or an upset stomach. Certain prescribed medications, such as antibiotics, can make you ineligible to donate blood.
 	You must weigh at least 110 pounds or 50 kg.
 	You have to be old enough. In many jurisdictions, parental permission is required for anyone under the age of 18 to give blood.
 	You can only donate blood every 56 days.
 	Do not give blood if you have had simple dental work done within 24 hours or major dental work in the past month.


Eat iron-rich foods. Since blood production requires iron, you should eat iron-rich foods before donating. This will help you have strong blood for donation and help you better recuperate afterwards!

Hydrate yourself. To prepare your body for the loss of blood, you need to drink plenty of water or fruit juice the night and morning before you donate. The leading cause of faintness and dizziness when you give blood is a drop in blood pressure or blood sugar.

Get a good night's rest. Before you donate blood, you should have proper sleep. This will help you feel better and more alert when you give blood, which will help reduce the risk of any adverse reactions to the process.

Eat three hours before your donation. Never give blood if you have not eaten that day. Eating will keep your blood sugar levels stable, which will help you feel better after you have donated blood. Having food in your system helps to ward off lightheadedness and fainting. You should eat something healthy that fills you up but doesn't make you feel stuffed.

Avoid certain activities. In the hours leading up to your appointment, you need to avoid certain activities that may hurt your chances of donating. You should not smoke within the hour leading up to your appointment. You should also avoid alcoholic beverages in the 24 hours before you donate. You should also not chew gum, mints, or candy in the hours before your donation because it could make the temperature in your mouth go up, which could mimic the temperature of a fever.

For more information about our upcoming Blood Drive, please contact us online or call 1-800-771-0059. When you come to the Blood Drive, please make sure that you have a form of identification. All donors will receive a FREE t-shirt thanking them for their generous donation!
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