Summer has arrived and the 4th of July holiday will be here soon!  Summer holidays are often when blood supplies run critically low.  If you could spend an hour to save a life, would you do it?

It is estimated that 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but that less than 10% donate annually.  That's only 1 in 4 eligible donors who actually donate.  According to America's Blood Centers, if only one more percent of all Americans would give blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future!

I am here to tell you that giving blood is a relatively quick and painless process.  It doesn't cost anything, and it absolutely saves lives every day of the year.

It's easy to sign up to donate.  You can click here to create a profile, find a blood drive in your area and schedule an appointment.  Or you can call your local American Red Cross chapter.

When you arrive at your donation site, you will sign in and you will be asked to read over the guidelines on blood donation eligibility.  If, after reading this information, you discover that you are not eligible to donate, you can leave with no questions asked.  If you are eligible, your name will be called, and you will be taken to a private cubicle for a consultation with a technician.  Your identity will be verified.  You will be asked how much you weigh.  Your temperature, pulse and blood pressure will be taken, and a very small sample of blood will be obtained (using a small lancet to prick your finger) in order to determine your iron level.  (I was turned away a couple of times because of low iron levels, but then I started taking an inexpensive iron supplement every day, and have been fine ever since.)

Then, the technician will leave the cubicle, and you will answer a series of questions on a computer.  These questions are related to the guidelines that you read earlier, and have to do mostly with your medical and travel history.  (Note:  I don't know what happens if any of your answers indicate ineligbility.  I don't know if you are asked to leave, or if your donation will be flagged somehow.  I do know that the Red Cross values maintaining donor confidentiality.)

When this process is completed, you will be taken to the donation area, and asked which arm you prefer to use.  You will be seated in a reclining position, but your upper body will remain upright.  The technician carefully labels the bag with an identification number, and you will receive a sheet with this same identification number on it, along with post-donation instructions.

You will have a squeeze ball in your hand, and have to pump it in order to make the veins in your arm more prominent.  The needle is inserted (you don't have to look!), and the blood begins to flow into the bag immediately.  Actually, this is the shortest part of the whole process.  Filling the bag takes between 5 and 10 minutes, while squeezing on the ball (no giggling!) every ten seconds or so.  When the needle is removed, the technician puts pressure on the site, and makes sure that any bleeding has stopped before applying bandaging.  You will need to keep this area bandaged for at least 4 hours.  Here is an example of  the post-donation instructions you will receive.  If, after leaving, you feel that your blood should not be used, you can call the number listed on the instruction sheet and give the ID number that matches the number on your donation bag.

Now comes the best part:  free Cokes and Little Debbies!  This is the only time I indulge in an oatmeal cream pie.  Dammit, they just siphoned a pint of blood out of my body - I need some sugar!  (If you're donating in California, I imagine they might give you Fiji water and organic granola bars.  Whatever works, I say.)  And then I drive home, relax for a few hours, and drink lots of liquids (of the non-alcoholic variety).

Easy-peasy.

Of course, there are many legitimate reasons that a person cannot donate blood.  But, for those who can, spending an hour this way is one of the simplest things you can do to make a real difference.  Someone needs blood every 2 seconds, and, despite what you may have seen on that HBO show, there is no substitute for the real thing.  It's also a completely renewable resource!  In 8 weeks, you'll be ready to do it again!

I hope you all have a safe and happy summer!