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There are many ways to fight cancer. Our individual battles are the obvious ones. Then there is fundraising for the charities you feel matter the most. But a really great way to give something that money can’t buy is to donate blood.
I bring this up since I donated last evening, which I do every 8 weeks. Plus I just read a member’s blog update where he talks about transfusions following high dose chemo. I started donating when I was 18 because my mother needed major surgery. About one-third of blood donations go to people fighting cancer, primarily to counter the affects of chemo. A lot goes to children, which alone is reason to donate. The other two thirds go to surgical patients and trauma victims.
Wondering how a cancer survivor is allowed to donate blood? Rules vary by country. In the US, survivors can donate a year after last treatment, defined as surgery, chemo or radiation. CT scans and X-rays are not considered treatment. There are other limits such as surviving a solid tumor, including TC. Survivors of blood-type cancers such as leukemia are not eligible. Believe me, I triple-checked eligibility before donating.
The American Red Cross guidelines are here: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...y-requirements
I would never put anybody else at risk so I researched the issue. There are large studies that show there is no increased risk of contracting cancer by blood donations. They didn’t actually try to inject blood from cancer survivors into anybody. They tracked donors and recipients over a long time to match donations from people who were subsequently diagnosed with cancer with the health of blood recipients. Think about it: Cancer can grow for a long time before symptoms appear, some like prostate cancer for decades. All that time, cancer victims without symptoms can be donating.
When I first returned to donate, I thought I would have a hard time. I completed the questionnaires, including questions about cancer, absolutely truthfully. Every single interviewer thanks me for donating since it helps so many cancer survivors.
It’s true. Donate blood. Save lives.
I bring this up since I donated last evening, which I do every 8 weeks. Plus I just read a member’s blog update where he talks about transfusions following high dose chemo. I started donating when I was 18 because my mother needed major surgery. About one-third of blood donations go to people fighting cancer, primarily to counter the affects of chemo. A lot goes to children, which alone is reason to donate. The other two thirds go to surgical patients and trauma victims.
Wondering how a cancer survivor is allowed to donate blood? Rules vary by country. In the US, survivors can donate a year after last treatment, defined as surgery, chemo or radiation. CT scans and X-rays are not considered treatment. There are other limits such as surviving a solid tumor, including TC. Survivors of blood-type cancers such as leukemia are not eligible. Believe me, I triple-checked eligibility before donating.
The American Red Cross guidelines are here: http://www.redcrossblood.org/donatin...y-requirements
I would never put anybody else at risk so I researched the issue. There are large studies that show there is no increased risk of contracting cancer by blood donations. They didn’t actually try to inject blood from cancer survivors into anybody. They tracked donors and recipients over a long time to match donations from people who were subsequently diagnosed with cancer with the health of blood recipients. Think about it: Cancer can grow for a long time before symptoms appear, some like prostate cancer for decades. All that time, cancer victims without symptoms can be donating.
When I first returned to donate, I thought I would have a hard time. I completed the questionnaires, including questions about cancer, absolutely truthfully. Every single interviewer thanks me for donating since it helps so many cancer survivors.
It’s true. Donate blood. Save lives.
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