# Giving blood for the cause



## Northerner (Mar 17, 2013)

Devoted blood donors from Leighton, who saved up to 675 lives between them, were recognised by NHS Blood and Transplant for their loyalty and commitment to at a ceremony.

The lifesaving efforts of 61 blood donors from across the South East were honoured with crystal awards at the ceremony at the Hilton Hotel, Watford.

Leighton Buzzard donors Henry Adam, Ken Mounter and Roy Sanders, all received awards for making 75 donations.

Mr Mounter, who was originally motivated by his geography teacher and brother who were donors, said:

?To encourage others to donate blood, I would say just do it. Apart from the free coffee, juice and crisps, it is worthwhile.?

http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/community/giving-blood-for-the-cause-1-4898752


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## Aoife (Mar 17, 2013)

Although type 1's can't give blood (for stupid ridiculous and insensible reasons, I was a regular donator before D Day rant rant rant)  remember that EVERYONE can register for organ donation at 

https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.asp

http://www.lltgl.org.uk

Being a T1 doesn't stop you from giving someone the gift of life.


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## trophywench (Mar 17, 2013)

I know Aoife, and I'm still just as hacked off by it at nearly 63 as I was at 22 !


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## LeeLee (Mar 18, 2013)

Aoife said:


> Although type 1's can't give blood (for stupid ridiculous and insensible reasons, I was a regular donator before D Day rant rant rant)  remember that EVERYONE can register for organ donation at
> 
> https://www.organdonation.nhs.uk/how_to_become_a_donor/registration/consent.asp
> 
> ...


When I gave blood in January, I was told that the refusal to allow T1s to donate (and T2s on insulin) is due to the possibility of harm to the donor, e.g. hypo.


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## trophywench (Mar 18, 2013)

I think the official reason is still - as it was in 1972 when I had it in writing from the Donor Service LOL - is that it takes us longer to 'make up' the blood.

The whole thing is actually potty and I'll tell you how I know this!  A couple of years ago when they started bringing in the new measurements for A1c, they had an urgent need for 'diabetic' blood, to send off for A1c testing to ALL the labs doing the tests so that the people monitoring the QA in the labs (a commercial division of the Wolfson Inst at B'ham University) could test the labs, so it was no good sending off normal blood as it would only test the accuracy between 4 and 7 LOL

So we volunteered and had actually given em 4 lots (only allowed to go 6 monthly whereas these days normally you can go every 3 months) before the Powers That Be suddenly noticed some of us were T1s and verboten.  They were right hacked off about this as now they are more or less only testing T2 blood and most of it is from at least middle aged people and really to get proper data, they need as many age ranges and 'Types' as possible.

Anyway the important thing if you do give blood, is not to have your OWN A1c done too soon after donating - ideally, not within 3 months but most certainly not within 2 - because of the rate of exchange of blood cells.  If you have it done too soon, over 65% of your blood will be new instead of some of it being 12 weeks old and at death's door by then !


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## macabee (Mar 18, 2013)

Donated my 71st unit last Friday. Look forward to my crystal award next year.

The whole system has changed in the 40 odd years since I first donated, then it went into glass bottles, they used to be carried away in crates, always worried that they would drop them!


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## trophywench (Mar 18, 2013)

Yup, and if you watched the blood going into the anti-coag in the bottle, it formed a 'head',  They had proper hospital beds and nice feather pillows then too.  They were always wound up really high, so there was a mounting block for short arses, at the side of the bed!  LOL

Lovely lunchtime rest !


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## macabee (Mar 19, 2013)

trophywench said:


> Yup, and if you watched the blood going into the anti-coag in the bottle, it formed a 'head',  They had proper hospital beds and nice feather pillows then too.  They were always wound up really high, so there was a mounting block for short arses, at the side of the bed!  LOL
> 
> Lovely lunchtime rest !




Oh Happy day's...Mmmmm


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