| Blood donations are an essential part of our healthcare system. Without volunteers giving blood, many medical procedures we take for granted could not take place. And while doctors and surgeons rely on blood donations to carry out life-saving procedures every day- the Belize Blood Donors Service say they need more volunteers. The organization is encouraging Belizeans to become volunteers for the worthy cause. It is quite a simple procedure and today we were invited inside the office to see how it is done.
Ronald Stuart - Treasurer, Belize Voluntary Blood Donor's Association
"I am giving my quarterly donation. It's something that I look forward to because I know it is needed and one of the reasons were highlighting the need for the public to be aware and to be sensitize about blood donations is because we don't really want for there to be a situation where persons would try to be scrambling to try to find donors and if it's particularly a blood type that is among the smaller groups in the populations. So be aware how you could help and be willing to give or if you cannot give - to recruit persons who could give donations to help others when they are in need."
"First and foremost you should know what your blood type is, that's the base and then you would fill in a questionnaire to find out if you are able to give. To know your health status and at that point in time the sample is taken and prick your finger to find out what's the haemoglobin level - how rich it is, so to speak. If you are able to give at that point then the unit is taken and from there it goes through all its tests for various diseases or infections to then it is declared safe for use for others."
Monica Bodden
"Is it a painful procedure?"
Ronald Stuart
"I know a lot of people are afraid of needles, but it might be just a little bit uncomfortable, but doing what I am doing now is nothing. I've been doing for so long that I look forward to it actually because I know blood is medicine and as a slogan that was used a couple of years ago it says "safe blood begins with me." I am giving as a volunteer donor and it is for anybody who needs, so when I give I know somebody is receiving good medicine basically."
Monica Bodden
"What first got you involved in it? You told me 20 years now you've been a donor."
Ronald Stuart
"I was first invited to the AGM back then in 1995, my colleagues of mine and after hearing a family member of a blood recipient tell their family story - I said there could never be another day that could pass without me giving blood, so I've been doing it since and for the past few years based on the records that the nurse has told me I have the most voluntary blood donations in the country and I keep it up every quarter - so four times for the year is the maximum I could give and I would like to encourage others to do the same because you cannot find any substitute for blood and you don't want to be looking for it when it is a necessity."
If you would like more information on how you can become a blood donor you can call 2-2-3-5-4-4-2 or visit the office at the old nursing school building corner Saint Joseph and St Thomas streets.
| 