| FBC is committed to their endeavor with the American Red Cross. We have signed up to do quarterly blood drives here in the Fairfield community and hope that you feel led to become involved as well. Please contact the church office at 642-6767 for more information or to schedule your appointment to donate! |
| American Red Cross |
| We had our first blood drive on December 10th from 1-7pm. It resulted in 25 potential donors and collected 20 units of lifesaving blood! Did you know that 1 unit can help save up to 3 patients? It is true! To the left is our pastor- Pastor Tim- being first in line to give. Thank you so much to all who helped out, whether you were able to give or not, your heart is in the right place! |
A Good Time to Give
Every two seconds in the United States, someone needs blood. Whether it is used to help
an accident victim, an organ donor recipient or a patient with cancer, more than 38,000
blood donations are needed in hospitals every day around the country.
There is never a bad time to donate blood; however, there are times when donations –
particularly new volunteer donors – are needed all the more. The winter months usually
bring a general shortage of donors. Many people find themselves traveling for the holidays,
out of their normal routine and unable to donate. Others may be affected by illness or
inclement weather.
To be eligible to give blood, you must be a healthy individual over the age of 17, who has
not donated in the past eight weeks (56 days) and weigh at least 110 pounds. That means, if
you began giving blood at the age of 17 and donated every 56 days until the age of 76, you
would have donated 48 gallons of blood and potentially helped save more than 1,000 lives!
Donors who contribute regularly often say they do so because they want to help others.
Remember, because blood cannot be manufactured, there is no substitute – it must come
through generous voluntary donors.
What to Expect
Along with the rewarding feeling that comes with donating blood, many people are anxious
or nervous about donating. The number one excuse given for not donating blood is fear.
Feeling scared is normal, but know what to expect can alleviate fears. Although giving
blood for the first time can be intimidating, many donors will assure you that it’s a simple
process that is endlessly rewarding.
When you first report to your blood donation appointment, you will be provided with
information about giving blood. Then, a trained professional will ask you to present a photo
ID and run through a list of questions about your health history during a private interview.
This information is kept confidential and is used for your safety and well-being during the
donation process. After gathering your history, the staff member will conduct a mini-
physical to obtain your pulse, blood pressure, iron level and temperature before that actual
donation begins. Remember, you can leave at any point with no questions asked.
Following the interview, staff will cleanse your arm and carefully insert a needle. You will
feel a slight pinch when the needle is inserted, and the hard part is over. Now all you do is
sit back and relax for seven to ten minutes while the blood is collected. Each donation is
taken with a brand new, sterile needle that is discarded after use leaving no risk for
contamination or disease transmission. About a pint of blood in all will be taken. A bandage
is placed on your arm. Wear your bandage proud and as a reminder that with this donation,
you may have saved as many as three lives.
Finally, you are invited to sit, rest and enjoy refreshments such as juice and cookies. These
goodies aren’t a bribe, the body needs a little time to rest and make adjustments to the
decrease in fluid volume from the donation process. After resting, you can continue on with
your day having just spent approximately one hour at the donation site.
Tips for a Pleasant Donation Experience
There are some things you can do to ensure your donation experience is as pleasant as
possible, both before, during and after giving blood.
Get a good night’s sleep before donating and eat a good breakfast or lunch
Drink extra water to help replace the fluid volume you will donate
Eat iron rich foods such as red meat, fish, poultry and fortified cereals
Avoid fatty foods such as burgers and fries before donating as tests can be affected by fatty
materials and may cause your sample to be discarded
Wear a shirt with sleeves that can be rolled above the elbow and show staff any “good
veins” that have been successfully used in the past
Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids for 24-48 hours following your donation
Help Save a Life
So many lives are touched every day by individuals who take time out of their schedules to
donate blood. Volunteer Blood Donor Month comes during a time when blood resources are
usually low due to different factors such as the travel and the weather. This year resolve to
make a difference by becoming a volunteer blood donor.
Every two seconds in the United States, someone needs blood. Whether it is used to help
an accident victim, an organ donor recipient or a patient with cancer, more than 38,000
blood donations are needed in hospitals every day around the country.
There is never a bad time to donate blood; however, there are times when donations –
particularly new volunteer donors – are needed all the more. The winter months usually
bring a general shortage of donors. Many people find themselves traveling for the holidays,
out of their normal routine and unable to donate. Others may be affected by illness or
inclement weather.
To be eligible to give blood, you must be a healthy individual over the age of 17, who has
not donated in the past eight weeks (56 days) and weigh at least 110 pounds. That means, if
you began giving blood at the age of 17 and donated every 56 days until the age of 76, you
would have donated 48 gallons of blood and potentially helped save more than 1,000 lives!
Donors who contribute regularly often say they do so because they want to help others.
Remember, because blood cannot be manufactured, there is no substitute – it must come
through generous voluntary donors.
What to Expect
Along with the rewarding feeling that comes with donating blood, many people are anxious
or nervous about donating. The number one excuse given for not donating blood is fear.
Feeling scared is normal, but know what to expect can alleviate fears. Although giving
blood for the first time can be intimidating, many donors will assure you that it’s a simple
process that is endlessly rewarding.
When you first report to your blood donation appointment, you will be provided with
information about giving blood. Then, a trained professional will ask you to present a photo
ID and run through a list of questions about your health history during a private interview.
This information is kept confidential and is used for your safety and well-being during the
donation process. After gathering your history, the staff member will conduct a mini-
physical to obtain your pulse, blood pressure, iron level and temperature before that actual
donation begins. Remember, you can leave at any point with no questions asked.
Following the interview, staff will cleanse your arm and carefully insert a needle. You will
feel a slight pinch when the needle is inserted, and the hard part is over. Now all you do is
sit back and relax for seven to ten minutes while the blood is collected. Each donation is
taken with a brand new, sterile needle that is discarded after use leaving no risk for
contamination or disease transmission. About a pint of blood in all will be taken. A bandage
is placed on your arm. Wear your bandage proud and as a reminder that with this donation,
you may have saved as many as three lives.
Finally, you are invited to sit, rest and enjoy refreshments such as juice and cookies. These
goodies aren’t a bribe, the body needs a little time to rest and make adjustments to the
decrease in fluid volume from the donation process. After resting, you can continue on with
your day having just spent approximately one hour at the donation site.
Tips for a Pleasant Donation Experience
There are some things you can do to ensure your donation experience is as pleasant as
possible, both before, during and after giving blood.
Get a good night’s sleep before donating and eat a good breakfast or lunch
Drink extra water to help replace the fluid volume you will donate
Eat iron rich foods such as red meat, fish, poultry and fortified cereals
Avoid fatty foods such as burgers and fries before donating as tests can be affected by fatty
materials and may cause your sample to be discarded
Wear a shirt with sleeves that can be rolled above the elbow and show staff any “good
veins” that have been successfully used in the past
Rehydrate by drinking plenty of fluids for 24-48 hours following your donation
Help Save a Life
So many lives are touched every day by individuals who take time out of their schedules to
donate blood. Volunteer Blood Donor Month comes during a time when blood resources are
usually low due to different factors such as the travel and the weather. This year resolve to
make a difference by becoming a volunteer blood donor.
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