Donate blood!
I posted this in the tj community, but I'll re-post for any non-tj friends.
Hey guys,
The following message is from Don Dudley, Senior Vice President, Biomedical Services (The American Red Cross) and was sent to all Red Cross employees working downtown:
In response to a request today from the E Street Blood Donor Center downstairs, I would ask all staff to consider donating blood platelets today or tomorrow. There is a shortage in the local supply of blood platelets and the donor center on the first floor of 2025 E Street is a convenient location at which to donate. For those unfamiliar with platelet donation (apheresis), please refer to http://www.givelife2.org/donor/apheresis.asp for more information. I realize many staff members are quite busy supporting the Tsunami relief effort but would ask you to consider helping local patients in need with a life saving donation. Please call the apheresis donor line at 1 800 272-2123 to get more information or set up an appointment.
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I encourage you all to try to donate! Another option, besides apheresis, is whole blood donation, which takes very little time at all and can save three lives.
To donate blood you must be 17 years old and weigh at least 110 lbs (I think). You must also have not donated blood within the last 56 days (for whole blood) and must be in "good health." You do not need parental permission but you do need an ID (driver's license, military ID, etc.). If you choose to do apheresis, you must be willing to spend up to two hours at the donor center (you get to watch movies!) and must not take any aspirin products within 48 hours prior to your donation. For more blood donation information refer to http://redcross.org/donate/give/ -- this site contains general information and can link you to a page containing all the health restrictions on donating blood. To make a donation appointment online you can go to https://www.givelife.org/.
Please note: making an appointment is only half the battle. You will next have to pass a hematocrit test, which ensures that you have enough iron in your blood to donate (guys don't have to worry, but girls, I'll be honest--you may fail). You will also have to answer a long series of questions, but I don't think that should be a big problem for anyone.
Anyway. Try do donate! It may seem like a small thing, but it's a big deal to the people you may save.
If you have any questions whatsoever, I would be more than happy to track down the best answers I can find.