Forums >General Running>Red Cross needs your help
Gang Name "Pound Cake"
Hey all you healthy runners. Blood levels are at critically low levels. Less than 3% of eligible donors give. The other 97% of you need to man-up or woman-up and go give. I did today. Just check the website below and it will tell you where to go to donate. Oh ya - free juice and cookies just like in kindergarten. http://www.redcrossblood.org/?gclid=CJ7uoLjzzLACFQgJRQodGyD-Vw
- Scott
2014 Goals: First Marathon - BQ2016 <3:40 (3:25:18) - 1/2M <1:45 - 5K <22:00
2014 Marathons: 05/04 Flying Pig (3:49:02) - 09/20 Air Force (BQ 3:25:18) - 11/01 Indianapolis Monumental
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Wah wah...I will take them seriously when they drop the whole Mad Cow paranoia. They won't take mine or my DH's blood, because we were in the UK in the early 90s. Neither one of us has started walking in circles or lolling our heads, yet, and it's been nearly 20 years of the Red Cross whining about blood shortages, but turning away healthy individuals.
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
Nice zoom-zoom. So you are preaching against donating just because they won't take your precious blood? Perhaps you could speak to the people who got HIV from blood transfusions before they knew to ask donors about their personal habits? If they ask the questions and turn certain people away it is because there is a statistically increased risk. If you get in a car accident and need topping up, you will be very glad that they ask the tough questions and turn certain people away.
The Red Cross helps millions of people around the world and much of that work is performed by volunteers. I think they deserve our respect for the work that they do. Don't you?
No, I don't discourage anyone from donating. But the Red Cross is always desperate for blood...yet they turn millions of Americans away because millions of us traveled or studied abroad during a pretty long period of "risk." My son is likely also to be turned away, since I gave birth to him and his blood could be tainted, based on their criteria. Yet millions of people in the UK and Europe are able to donate and they go merrily and healthily about their lives and have for decades, even though they could potentially carry a very rare and relatively obscure prion, too.
20 years...I've been back on US soil for 20 years. That's 20 years that my blood and HIGHLY unlikely risk of exposure to BSE could have yielded countless pints of blood to help decrease the Red Cross's need. At some point they need to weigh the odds and actual risk and let recipients decide what risk they are willing to take on, rather than turn so many away.
If I were in need of blood and there were the drastic shortages that the Red Cross likes to present and I was told that I could have no blood or blood from someone in great health who traveled to the UK 2 decades ago I know what choice I'd make without giving it a second thought.
old woman w/hobby
Yes, DH and I were stationed in the UK In the early 80's. We have been back in the states for 28 years.
I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed but I don't think that I have any indication of holes in the brain.
Even good things can be carried too far. I gave blood on a fairly regular basis until this rule came down
and soon will soon be considered too old so I figure that they will lift the ban in about three years
MTA: inflexible age / weight standards seem silly as well.
steph
For a while they wouldn't take my blood or my little brother's blood for a certain reason, but that same reason was "overlooked" for my sister's more rare and needed blood type. (Another blood bank had no issue and I donated with them instead. Is the blood donation rules about travel the same as Red Cross at other local donation centers?)
Oh roo roooo!
I have to agree with those saying "wah wah" ! They won't accept blood from my husband b/c nearly FORTY years ago he was stationed overseas in the Navy and used the services of some of the local "professionals." Without judging that behavior, the fact remains, he was a lad of 18 then and is closing in on 60 now--I would surely think if he had any diseases, there would be some evidence of some sort by now. They refuse MY blood b/c as his wife, I obviously have had sex with HIM and thus am regarded as compromised also, never mind that we have been together for 20 years, and if anything had been passed to me from him, I would expect to have some kind of symptoms or diagnosis by this time.
I gave blood regularly in my early 20s but stopped after too many experiences with prolonged low blood pressure, lightheadedness, etc., which I'm sure was due to the fact that I simply wasn't taking very good care of myself back then. Now I am arguably the healthiest I have ever been and I can't donate blood b/c of a possible exposure to someone else's possible exposure nearly 40 years ago with NO symptoms or problems in either party? Doesn't make much sense to me, either.
Good Bad & The Monkey
Donate blood if you can.
But yeah. 21 years ago, as a non-meat eater, I spent >6 months (11 months, to be exact) in urban France. So they won't take my blood.
I'm running somewhere tomorrow. It's going to be beautiful. I can't wait.
Poor baby
My family lived in Germany from 86 to 91 so they won't take our blood. My mom donated regularly for years and now they won't take it. That's sad.
Donate blood if you can. But yeah. 21 years ago, as a non-meat eater, I spent >6 months (11 months, to be exact) in urban France. So they won't take my blood.
Yup. I have long-term vegetarian friends who cannot donate because there is a "theory" that these prions could possibly have been airborne or somehow get from the bottom of a person's shoes into their blood.
So, yeah...here we are this über-healthy running population on RA and yet it appears that a very high percentage of us are blacklisted.
Well, anyway.
Donating blood = good
If you can, do. The cookies are good.
(they don't want mine either. Frankly, neither do I.)
I went 3x a year until I ran regularly. When I run 4-5 times a week it seems my iron is too low. I've donated a few times since when I had to stop running.
Giving blood is a good thing. But it feels strange to drink the V8 after. It just feels like I'm pouring blood back in. So that last few times I changed up to apple juice. But then I felt like I had to pee.
Dude.
Stay away from the fun size baby ruths.
an amazing likeness
...retracted...
Acceptable at a dance, invaluable in a shipwreck.
barefootin'
I used to give blood regularly, but with running a lot more, I don't want to impact my training / recovery.
I signed up to be a bone marrow donor (Be The Match) instead so I could feel like I was doing something.
However, is giving blood detrimental to training? How long does it take to recover?
Bill Wagnon / stl