WHY WE ALL SHOULD DONATE BLOOD

Hi Hivers! Today I'm gonna talk something that in my opinion is very important to our society, specially in this difficult times: why we all should donate blood, at least once in our life. I must clarify that I'm not a doctor nor a nurse and I don't work in the medical field at all, this is my perspective as a multiple times donor.

If you are wondering why? Well, let me tell you donating blood is donating life, people who needs blood probably is very ill or is going to have a major procedure. Donating blood once also can save multiple lifes if the blood is treated and separated in its components to be plasma, platelets and red blood cells, there's also donation for COVID antibodys. Donations are very much needed specially if you have a not so common type of blood as -AB, +AB or -O, remember that not every blood type can recibe from all the others and not every blood type can give to all the others.

Now, I'm gonna address some taboos/myths that go around blood donation:

1. You CAN'T donate if you have tattoos : Of course you can, you just have to wait a few months after you get tattoed to donate, some countries ask for 6 months others for a year, but you shouldn't get discriminated by having tattoos. I personally do, have.
2. You will gain weight : In my experience it doesn't happen. I have donated blood 5 times in my life and I never gain weight after that.
3. It is an awful experience : No, it isn't. It hurts a little, of course, because the needle need to be big enough to extract the blood without problems and you probably will feel a bit dizzy after you donate, but you just gave an unit of blood, it's completely normal that your body doesn't work as always for a moment.
4. You will need days of rest: False, you just shouldn't do sports or any hard physical activities after you donate that day.
5. You donate litres of blood. False, you just donate an unit which is 525mL.

If you are willing to donate but don't now if you fulfill the requirements, here there are:
-Your age must be between 18 and 55 years-old
-You must weight more that 50kgs
-There has to be a lapse of 6 months between donations
-You should eat before you donate
-You shouldn't drink alcohol the night before
-You should not have been sick the days prior the donation
-You should sleep well the night before donation

NOTE: I've donated blood in Colombia and Venezuela, but i think they're universal

So, don't think about it twice and go to your nearest blood bank.

I really hope this post makes you aware of blood donation culture, because we never know when are we gonna be the ones in need. Thanks for coming this far , bye!