Become a FIRST, first responder by donating blood

Have you donated blood recently? The demand for blood has increased dramatically since Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton brought devastation to Florida and other Southern States. American Red Cross Regional CEO, Edgar Olivo, said: “The need for blood is greater than ever," Olivo said. "This is an all-hands-on deck effort where we need anyone who is available to give the gift of time and life by donating blood.

OneBlood, a major blood bank operating throughout Florida, urges Floridians to donate. Many blood drives were closed during the hurricane. According to OneBlood all blood types are needed, but there is an urgent need for O Negative and O Positive blood. The blood bank is also in urgent need of platelet donations. Susan Forbes, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations for OneBlood observed: “The need for blood simply never stops, no matter what. Not for Mother Nature, not for anything. It's important that people make blood donation a habit and start thinking of that right now.

Here are 10 good reasons to become a FIRST, first responder by donating blood:

1. You help others. Giving blood is one of the most selfless things you can do. Your donated blood can potentially help save up to three lives, according to the American Red Cross.
2. You’re among a select minority. Less than 38% of the population is eligible to give blood or platelets, so if you’re one of them, consider yourself among the chosen few.
3. You get a free health check-up. Before you give blood, a nurse will check your blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and hemoglobin levels. Your blood may also be checked for HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases. So, it’s like getting a mini check-up just for doing something good!
4. It burns calories. You can’t replace your regular sweat sesh with a blood donation, but you can burn about 650 calories while donating one pint of blood.
5. Your body will make new blood. Think of it like a tune-up for your body. When you donate blood, you generate new blood. It takes about 24 hours to replace the plasma and 4-6 weeks to replace the red blood cells from your donation.
6. It may improve your health. Donating blood temporarily lowers the iron in your blood. Elevated levels of iron may increase the risk of heart disease in men. One study showed that men who donated blood at least once a year had an 88% lower risk of heart attacks than men who were not donors.
7. It promotes well-being. Yours, that is! Giving blood can make you feel good about yourself, reduce stress, and improve your emotional health.
8. It only takes an hour. The process of donating blood is simple and quick. You’ll likely be there for about an hour, although the actual blood donation only takes about 10 minutes.
9. It doesn’t really hurt. You may feel a slight prick when the needle is inserted into your arm, but the process is relatively painless. And when you consider the benefits it provides, the minor discomfort is well worth it.
10. You may need a blood donation one day. It’s estimated that about 25% of people will need blood at least once in their lives. Although there’s no direct correlation between giving blood and receiving it, you may be as grateful one day as someone else currently is for the donation.

Overall, donating blood is a simple yet powerful way to make a significant difference in people's lives.