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Giving blood

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
  • 7,000 units of blood are needed each day to help save and improve the lives of sick and injured patients across England and North Wales.
  • Only 4% of the eligible population are active blood donors.

Please visit http://www.blood.co.uk/ and see if you are eligible and if there is somewhere near by to make a donation. 96% of the population rely on the other 4%, and stocks are always low at this time of year.
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Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm part of that 4%
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I was part of that 4% until I was banned for 2 years, but only about another 6 months to go and then fingers crossed :)

    I can't believe it is as low as 4% of ELIGIBLE people. Crazy....
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It was 6% when I first signed up.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im banned for life even though im tested and clean, so fuck them
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just hope you don't ever need a blood transfusion then.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've signed up but not been yet due to only signing up before Christmas. I hope to go see if I am eligable in the New Year :)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im banned for life even though im tested and clean, so fuck them

    Haha...

    Do tell?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Funny story, my Dad always gave blood until he said they changed the questionairre form, it used to say have you had sex with an African but due to that being racist i guess it now says

    "In the last 12 months have you had sex with anyone who may ever have had sex in parts of the world where AIDS/HIV is very common (this includes most countries in Africa)? "

    He answered yes to that question and they refused to take hi blood, he said he was in Africa with his British wife and he had sex with her, not an actual African.

    They said just tick no then but he refused and said they need to change the question as he will answer all the questions honestly and he will answer the truth.

    He said his Wife who was sitting not too far away getting her blood taken was the person he had sex with, she obviously ticked no on the form and lied.

    He was pretty peed off about that as he always gave and we have a rare blood group, in fact my mum has the same rare blood group and when pregnant they took samples from her as they thought she might have some sort of supercell in her.

    He has never given blood again, nor has that question been changed.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    So really the semantics of a question are stopping him from giving a rare blood type? That is a shame.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    Just hope you don't ever need a blood transfusion then.

    who's that aimed at?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    So really the semantics of a question are stopping him from giving a rare blood type? That is a shame.

    No it was because according to the questionairre he is not eligable to give blood unless he lies on a form.

    The meaning of the question did not stop him, he was stopped because of his answer.

    Shame on them for having a quetion on a form that stops all couples that have had a holiday in Africa and had sex during that holiday from giving blood.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    Just hope you don't ever need a blood transfusion then.


    well me too, but im not banned from receiving, and id happily give blood if i wasnt on their "never ever give blood" list

    I know lots of people would still do it, but i cant decide if its right or wrong
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I know lots of people would still do it, but i cant decide if its right or wrong

    I think it's ok if you know the reason you are banned, and it doesn't apply to you. If you are banned because you are a high risk group for a blood-borne disease, but you've tested negative for it, you should be eligible, imo.

    I'm not eligible to give blood either, although for a decent reason. I think 4% is pathetic. Good on anyone who is a donor.
  • plugitinplugitin Posts: 2,197 Boards Champion
    I'm supposedly ineligeable :(
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm not a giver, I'm a taker - AB dCE, so they're not missing much by not letting me donate
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Kaff wrote: »
    I think it's ok if you know the reason you are banned, and it doesn't apply to you. If you are banned because you are a high risk group for a blood-borne disease, but you've tested negative for it, you should be eligible, imo.

    I'm not eligible to give blood either, although for a decent reason. I think 4% is pathetic. Good on anyone who is a donor.

    i dont know, it still seems wrong, and like id be doing it for myself. You shouldnt have to lie to do something like give blood. I think in certain cases the rules should be flexible enough to say that you can do it if youve been tested negative.

    Many years ago i injected drugs, and they say if youve ever done it, even once, you should never give blood. The fact that ive been clean for over 10 years, never shared a needle, and tested clear for hepatitis and HIV, makes no difference, so why should i sneak around and lie just for the pleasure of giving blood. If they relaxed the rules I certainly would, but tbh, it doesnt sound like theyre that desperate.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    That seems like a silly rule!

    You would hope that every batch of blood is tested for disease etc so if you used to get high with a needle, had sex somewhere with a high aids count (waltham forest) or are a gay man then I don't see why your immediately refused.

    An aids test is done with a finger prick and answers come back in seconds.

    I can hear the argument for "trying to maximize good blood doners and not wasting time taking bad blood" but if its really needed and the tests are done on the blood anyway then for the extra they would get don't you think it would be worth it?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i dont know, it still seems wrong, and like id be doing it for myself. You shouldnt have to lie to do something like give blood. I think in certain cases the rules should be flexible enough to say that you can do it if youve been tested negative.

    I definitely think it should be more flexible in some cases. I can't see why a gay man with a long-term, monogamous partner who've both been tested, or an ex drug user with negative test results pose any more risk than the general population.

    They say there is always a shortage of blood, but they don't make it particularly easy for people to donate, even existing donors. Mr Kaff is a donor, and it's always a bit of a ballache for him to give blood in our area.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Same here - they only do it at very set times in difficult to get to places, and weeks apart from each other. I'm o- so everyone wants my blood!

    I couldn't give blood for a year after sleeping with a man who had slept with another man...even though everyone was clean and tested... I think it just shows that theres still a lot of stigma around HIV/AIDS
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Just had a look at the site, and they seem to have relaxed a few of the restrictions since I last looked. Maybe a step in the right direction?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Miss_Riot wrote: »
    Same here - they only do it at very set times in difficult to get to places, and weeks apart from each other. I'm o- so everyone wants my blood!

    I couldn't give blood for a year after sleeping with a man who had slept with another man...even though everyone was clean and tested... I think it just shows that theres still a lot of stigma around HIV/AIDS

    I think the weeks apart thing is down to you only been able to give blood once every 16 weeks. I turned up and simply donated, I went at the times they were open, which were quite extensive and they just did me there and then.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    a lot of the places around here seem to only be able to do one person at a time so you have to book an appointment. Plus they always do the same time and day, so if that doesn't work for you then you're kind of stuffed. But I think there might be one going on next week that I can just turn up to - but that seems to be a rarity!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It will probably be a case of being able to do 2/3/4 at the same time, as one person finishes they hook another up, so its not like taking people in groups of 4, but as a spce becomes available.

    They usually have one person taking your details and giving you forms, you sit in a waiting bit with a few people till you finish your forms, someone else checks them and then you get put in a different seating area till theres a free space.

    Where I went it was a very small community centre and they had a big blood wagon out the front which transports gear, and they had 8/9 people there for the whole operation, and like I said, that was in a random small community centre.

    If you try making appointments they will likely be trying to book things as to make sure theres not a rush on at any given time.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    The donation centre near me only has one bed so they can only take one person in at a time - so they only do appointments. I've seen the big blood wagons before but not around here.
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Miss_Riot wrote: »
    I think it just shows that theres still a lot of stigma around HIV/AIDS

    It's not a stigma. Whether you think it's right or wrong there is a definite argument based in fact, for having restrictions on blood donations. It can take up to 6 months to detect HIV antibodies in the blood and anal intercourse is significantly riskier than vaginal intercourse with regards to contracting HIV.
    In terms of HIV infections that occur within the UK, gay men (and other men who have sex with men) accounted for two thirds of new cases in 2010

    It's risk assessment not homophobia.
    Weekender Offender 
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Miss_Riot wrote: »
    The donation centre near me only has one bed so they can only take one person in at a time - so they only do appointments. I've seen the big blood wagons before but not around here.

    Donation centre? I always thought that most of the time it was places like community centres and places like such and not actually in medical places?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i am looking into giving.
    i feel so sorry for people who need it
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i just toke the test and i cant
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    G-Raffe wrote: »
    Donation centre? I always thought that most of the time it was places like community centres and places like such and not actually in medical places?

    I think its a mix...my local hospital used to have a blood drop every month.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not old enough to donate yet but I definitely will. How do they do it? Is it just like when they take blood for a blood test but on a larger scale? :)
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