MUSINGS and other writing by Mark Kolke

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LIFESAVERS by the PINT
 
Tuesday, August 2, 2022
 
 
It’s good to give, right?

If someone offered you a lifesaver (the candy), that’s easy.

It only takes a moment – so it’s easy to accept a gift like that. If someone threw you a lifesaver (the water rescue kind), you’d gladly take that to avoid drowning.

If someone offered you live-saving medical service after a car crash in an emergency room or operating theatre, you’d accept that too, right?

That care comes with a free lifesaver of a different kind, some blood that someone gave.

It took them only a few minutes. If you could save someone’s life, would you take the time, or would you keep moving along with your day?

When we can give to charity, get a receipt, and feel good.

We can donate to causes when we buy raffle and lottery tickets, tip generously, shovel neighbours’ sidewalks, and help others with donations of time and/or money, but can we save a life in the process?

People giving blood plays a huge role in our health care delivery system, and we never know when we or someone we know might be on the receiving end – needing blood or a blood product.

A few days ago, I made my 2nd donation and booked my third – something I expect will be a new routine every 60 days until I can’t anymore, or until they don’t want mine any longer – to donate blood.

My recent blood-letting began as I ‘follow my doctor’s suggestion to reduce the iron in my blood’; she said, “Give blood.”

It is a gift, as their slogans suggest – the gift of life.

I wish someone had nudged me to do this a long time ago. After the initial screening administrative process (it gives me great comfort to know they are incredibly thorough), there is a ‘state of your current health, verify medications you take are OK on their lists, double check your identity’ and even then, from arrival to departure – 40 minutes max. 

There are no skill-testing questions, no IQ tests – they aren’t testing you, they’re testing your blood, and if your blood passes all their screening criteria, then they want your blood as often as you are able and willing to give it.

It’s a whistle-stop to donate a pint of blood, improves my health, and it helps someone else – and free parking, free juice and cookies afterwards. Check out how you can help – https://www.blood.ca/en - you won’t regret giving a pint of your blood to help someone who needs it.

 

 


 
 

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