Outline
1. The purpose of this speech is to persuade people to donate blood and show why this is important.
2. There are many people in the hospitals who need blood transfusion services:
Post-accident traumatized people
Women with pregnancy complications (Caesarean operation)
Baby born with a heart defect
Cancer and surgical patients
a. People who need organ and bone marrow transferring
b. People who have blood diseases such as leukaemia (blood cancer), angiostaxis, anemotrophy.
3. There is expectation that more people will need blood transfusion services
Increased surgeries in the U.S.
Growing of the elderly group
Increased procedures during surgery calls for more blood.
4. The need for blood increases but the number of donors as well as the blood in storage has gone down.
5. Individuals reap much health benefits when they donate blood. These are health as well as physical benefits:
It feels good to do a good deed and donate blood
You become a hero when you save lives
Within 24 hours your blood is naturally replaced
You get a lot of health benefits and receive free blood tests
6. If you decide to donate blood, what should you know?
7. It is clear that blood donation is of great benefit to the society. It is a noble act that everyone should strive to accomplish.
Blood Donation
Good afternoon, my dear audience! Have you ever donated your blood to someone? Have you ever thought about it? Let me consider these questions today in my speech. As you probably guess, I am going to tell you about blood donation, and touch upon why is it important for you and for the person who will receive this blood from you. As I am thinking about donating blood by myself, I used to read much information about it, and now I want to share my knowledge with you.
It seems that many people around the world donate their blood, but still it is not enough to help everyone. Every day thousands of lives are under a threat of lack of donated blood. These are:
Post-accident traumatized people
Women with pregnancy complications (Caesarean operation)
Baby born with a heart defect
Cancer and surgical patients
a. People who need organ and bone marrow transferring
b. People who have blood diseases such as leukaemia (blood cancer), angiostaxis, anemotrophy.
You can clearly see how many people are in need of the blood donation. By the way, a person who gets the blood is called “a recipient”. Statistics says that around “4.5 million Americans will need a blood transformation this year” (http://www.cbcc.us); can you imagine how many people in the whole world are still waiting for a donation?
There is an expectation that even more people will need blood transfusion services in the nearest future because of:
Increased surgeries in the U.S.
Growing of the elderly group
Increased procedures during surgery calls for more blood.
(http://www.hofstra.edu)
For these and other reasons blood demand is growing every day, when more than 38, 000 donations are needed (http://www.redcrossblood.org).
Although the need for blood increases, the number of donors as well as the blood in storage has gone down. Only 4% of people who are able to donate do so (http://www.hofstra.edu). Why? Please look at this diagram, to see how people explain their reasons:
The biggest problem here is the ignorance. People are afraid of getting infections such as AIDS, hepatitis and some others, but you should understand that all the medical instruments and systems of the blood donation are one-use. After the procedure they are utilized. Thus, you will not be infected. For more assurance, you can ask people who have already donated their blood and go to the same clinics or blood reception station.
And now, think about benefits you will reap if donate blood. First of all, one donation can save up to 3 lives. And for example, if you start to donate your blood when you are 17 every 56 days until you are 76, your overall donation would be equal to about 48 gallons of blood that would potentially save more than 1,000 lives. (http://www.redcrossblood.org) Do you still believe only superheroes can save the lives of many? Secondly, it is not dangerous for your body, and within 24 hours your blood is naturally replaced. In addition, you will receive some test’s results of your blood pressure, pulse, hemoglobin, and will obtain data about your blood for free. Thirdly, there are other health benefits such as improving the body’s ability to replenish the blood supply, lowering iron levels in the body, helping in controlling instances of heart attacks, lowering the possibility of catching cancer. All these health benefits help the body to be more physically fit.
Suppose you decide to donate your blood, what should you know about the rules and the process? Your age must be 17-76 years old, and you must weigh at least 120 pounds, then you may donate general blood every 56 days, while platelets can be donated even every week. To prepare for the donation you must follow following rules:
Try to eat regularly and well-balanced and avoid fatty food
Drink enhanced amount of water (or other liquid)
Do not drink the alcohol 72 hours before the procedure
Do not take medicine which contains aspirin and painkillers 72 hours before the procedure
Try not to smoke an hour before donating
Get a good sleep
For more information go to http://www.redcrossblood.org. And if you are serious about the donation, do not hesitate, just do it!
Many people are still waiting to receive the blood, but the blood supply in the hospitals is consistently low. There is a need to replenish the supplies and this can only happen if you and I take the bold step and donate. Sometimes you don’t even have to go too far because every so often the donation blood bank is even right here at the campus, and it would only take you a few minutes to get it done. It is clear that blood donation is of great benefit to the society. It is a noble act that everyone should strive to accomplish. If you donate money, you give food. But if you donate blood, you give life!
Works Cited
American National Red Cross. Blood Facts and Statistics. 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.
American National Red Cross. Donating Blood. 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.
American National Red Cross. Tips for a Successful Donation. 2012. Web. 26 May 2012. < http://www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/tips-successful-donation>.
Community Blood Center of the Carolinas. Blood Donation Statistics. 2012. Web. 26 May 2012.
Hofstra University. Facts about Donating Blood. 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.
< http://www.hofstra.edu/StudentAffairs/blood/blood_facts.html>.
Hofstra University. Why Should I Give Blood? 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.
Hofstra University. Why we need more blood donors. 2012. Web. 25 May 2012.
< http://www.hofstra.edu/StudentAffairs/blood/blood_why.html>.
WHO. Why Should I Donate Blood? 2012. Web. 26 May 2012.
