One of my fave roles is being a Lifeblood Champion – rolling up my sleeve and donating blood, and at the same time helping promote the appeal for more blood donors or blood donations. I am not entirely being noble here as research has shown that there are benefits for the person donating blood.
A bag of about 500 ml of blood is drawn in a blood donation. This is approximately one-tenth of the blood in the body and is a safe amount of blood to lose as the body re-generates new blood. In Australia, the recommended interval of donation is about 3 months compared to the advice by the American Red Cross of 8 weeks in between blood donations.
A donation can save up to three people. This is one small contribution that I am happy to do for the community, and at the same time I enjoy benefits from it. We have mentioned this once before, but it won’t hurt to reinforce the information. Research has shown that donating blood can:
* check potential health issues – before the donating process, the person’s blood pressure, pulse, body temperature, and haemoglobin count are checked.
* possibly reduce harmful iron stores – a condition called hemochromatosis which people may not even know they have it. It is a disease that causes an iron overload which is more commonly found among Caucasians.
*lower risk of suffering a heart attack by 88 percent. High levels of iron in the blood constrict the blood vessels and create more risk of a heart attack.
*possibly reduce the risk of developing cancer - phlebotomy (the process of drawing blood) was found to be an iron-reduction method that is associated with lower cancer risk and mortality.
*help the liver to stay healthy – too much iron has been linked with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), Hepatitis C and other liver diseases and infections.
*help the mental state – in addition to physical benefits to donating blood, the most powerful and unexpected health benefit is in the psychological well-being. People feel happy that someone (or more people) somewhere will be getting the help they urgently need. It is also similar to doing volunteer work.
One of the recent initiatives that LifeBlood implemented is sending a text message to donors when their blood was to be used. In the past, I often wondered if my blood did used or not as the red cells are only good for forty-two days. I went on March 1, 2022 for my last donation and I received a text message advising that my bag of blood was on its way to be used at the Royal North Shore Hospital on March 7.
For me, the additional benefit is I get to meet kababayans who are nurses in the blood donation place. I have not been there without meeting a Filo nurse or two. I get to hear some of their stories in the brief time we meet. At my last donation, I met Jona. Jona did the finishing process after I have done the required quantity.
Of the short time that she was unhooking me from the machine, checking my details against the labels, making sure I was feeling okay and bandaged up the needlepoint area, I got to know a bit about her.
“I grew up in Manila. I was an operating room theatre nurse before i migrated here 2013. I did an international registration for nurses course in Victoria, to be able to practice, and be an RN here as well. I worked in the aged care industry, in charge of Dementia specific unit, and Extra services unit. I also did Teletriage nursing as i need to stay home for my first baby.
After having twins, I finally decided to go back to nursing again, and fortunate to join Lifeblood. Both hubby and I work in Lifeblood but he’s in Liverpool donor centre (he used to work in Westmead Children’s Hospital before joining Lifeblood as an RN too). We were both donors and have always thought of working in Lifeblood as we fully support its cause.
We live in North Parramatta; we have a five year-old boy, and three year-old fraternal (boy and girl) twins. Haha! We honestly don’t know how we’re able to look after the kids; but indeed we’re very blessed to have twins. It was a happy surprise as well; originally we wanted two kids but was blessed to have three. Kinakaya naman po so far juggling work and family life. “
There are many more Fil-Aus nurses like Jona who are passionate about the important role that LifeBlood performs for the community. They reflect well on the Filipinos for their professionalism, hard work and friendliness. I can’t wait for my next donation to meet more kababayans or reconnect to the ones I have previously met before.
In the meantime I hope you respond to the invitation by Lifeblood to take the bloody oath:
A commitment to making a difference
"I hereby swear to be the lifeblood of Australia.
Of community and country.
To give what I can, as often as I can.
Even when I don’t feel like it. Or if I’m scared.
And if I give excuses, don’t take them.
Hold me to my word.
Because Australia needs me.
To give hope.
To give joy.
Give second chances.
To give life.
Do I promise to be a blood donor?
Bloody Oath, I do."