Gave Blood Today!

[Bob W]

Yeah it is badass!   They stick you with needles and just to get that privilege you have to answer over 50 questions correctly.   

Yeah and it will probably save someone's life.

It may even save my life,  as men who give blood regularly have lower iron levels and tend to live longer.

Yeah,  my arm hurts,  my head is woozy and I'm a bad ass.

Check the web for the next donation site near you and you also can be a badass lifesaver. 


 

[Dicey]

Good on you, Bob W!

I've always wanted to do this, but for a number of years I was told no dice because I've had cancer. I'm told nowadays that's not an issue, due to better technology, plus I'm 30+ years cancer-free(yay!), so it can be done, but I'm worried that I could unwittingly pass something weird on. Any experienced blood donors/healthcare providers willing to share their thoughts on this? Am I being silly? Would you want blood from someone who's had cancer, even if it was a long, long time ago?

Blood transfusions saved my infant brother's life when he had meningitis, so I've always wanted to donate blood, but I am very unsure of whether it's the right thing to do, given my history. I'm not willing to jeopardize some innocent person's health just to get a checkmark on my bucket list.

If it matters, I had radiation but not chemo and it was a rare type of cancer. Thanks!

And I will readily concede that this is something of a hijack, but if it gets more people to think about donating blood, that's a good thing, right?

[Gone Fishing]

Is there any place locally that pays for donations?  I gave plasma a fair bit in college. Quit when I got my first job, because I didn't "need" the money, but in retrospect I wish I had kept it up.  Could have bought some stock real cheap back then! I would probably be doing it if there was a clinic nearby, would be nice beer money once FIRE'd!

[MissStache]

We have a regular blood donation every quarter here at work, so it makes it super easy and convenient to do it.  I usually only qualify 50% of the time because I regularly have low iron levels, but I try every time!  So easy and mostly painless and I always feel so proud after I do it!  I have rare blood, too, so they always email me telling me they are low on supplies. 

Diane, I would totally take your cancer-free blood :)  I'm donating again in September, so I'll look closely at the application and see if they even ask about cancer.  If they do, I bet it is "within the last 5 years" or something like that!

[forummm]

There are too many outdated restrictions on blood donation. Hopefully the artificial blood products will become available soon, and then no one will need to donate anymore.

[Jakejake]

I used to donate regularly. Now I can't because the red cross thinks the army may have given me mad cow disease. I'm very belligerent that the red cross thinks it's a real danger, but the army hasn't bothered to ever mention to me they may have put me at risk.  On the bright side, I feel like having mad cow might make me a bit of a badass.

[Kitsunegari]

I used to donate regularly, but when I moved to Canada I became unacceptable because Europeans (and people who traveled in Europe in determinated years) are considered potential carriers of mad cow disease. It makes me sad because it was the only regular donation I can make for free :-D

[okits]

Thank you, Bob W and others, for donating blood.  I did a few months ago, will need to check eligibility to do so again.

(Where I donate they give you juice, cookies, and snack mix afterwards.  Is that standard?  Almost made it feel like a date when DH and I went together to donate!)

[Bob W]

I believe snacks are standard.    I think cancer is o.k. and sure you could prescreen online.  It was actually fun and my coworkers were all curious.

[iris lily]

DH has been a donor for years. He has big fat veins (so is easy to stick) and the blood pours out. Also, he is has universal donor blood type, so he is wanted.

I used to donate, had to stop for a while, but plan to do so again.

DH is very good at giving his time to community service jobs that have little sex appeal: grand jury service of 2 - 3 full days each week, Pollworker and election judge, blood donor. None of these are very popular.

[Cougar]

WAY TO GO BOB W !

that's awesome !

Is there any place locally that pays for donations?  I gave plasma a fair bit in college. Quit when I got my first job, because I didn't "need" the money, but in retrospect I wish I had kept it up.  Could have bought some stock real cheap back then! I would probably be doing it if there was a clinic nearby, would be nice beer money once FIRE'd!

yes, you can find them; it'll just take a little searching and maybe driving; but if you can donate plasma or are a rare type like o negative, you can find someone to pay you for it.

I know this because I'm considering doing it for cash myself. I'm a long time donator for free, over 80 donations or 10 gallons of blood; but as I get older; I get smarter.  although they do give you free snacks and a shirt; its still at least an hour out of your day and generally takes a day to recover to normal. I should get paid for that, i'll still feel just as good that I helped others if I also got paid for it.

[onecoolcat]

Thanks for donating.  I recently had surgery and received a donors blood.  I hope to repay it one day once i can donate.  My wfe donated some blood after my surgery too.

[imustachemystash]

Thanks to all who have given blood.  I have never weighed enough to be able to donate, but I really appreciate those who can.

[ShaneD]

Right on, Bob!

[trailrated]

Hat is off to you! I have a lot of respect for people that do this. Sadly I am not a badass because needles creep me out so I find other ways to help out. Kudos!

[Lynski]

Thank you blood donors! As somebody who's had to have multiple blood transfusions while going through chemotherapy almost 15 years ago, it makes a big difference. It's a weird but pretty amazing feeling to have energy all of a sudden from receiving oxygenated blood.

I really didn't need anything while going through chemo, but people constantly offer to help. I always asked them to donate blood. Got some laughs hearing various excuses and seeing the strong reactions to needles some folks have, but a lot of people did end up donating and said it wasn't as scary as they thought.

[Bob W]

Yeah,  I don't exactly like needles as well.   So I don't look.  The pain is really very small but I can see it as a threshold. 

Well according to MMM the best things in life often take a little effort and make you stronger and a badass. 

I encourage anyone who has the needle fear to put that aside and become the badass you know you are!

[starbuck]

The Red Cross runs blood drives in my office building every 8 weeks like clockwork. And in my office, if you donate blood you get to take a half day. Plus you get free snacks and the occasional swag like a t-shirt. I'm always amazed at how few people in my office donate.

I'm a universal donor so I donate on a regular basis. Currently pregnant so that knocks me out of the running for a bit but man, those prenatal vitamins really upped my iron levels when I was still able to donate!

[Nancy]

Nice! Well done, Bob!

I gave blood for the first time this spring after my dad had major surgery. It was a great experience. I was wiped out while biking for at least a month after, but it was worth it. If I can get my weight up, I'm going to give again in September.

[JJNL]

Yeah,  I don't exactly like needles as well.   So I don't look.  The pain is really very small but I can see it as a threshold. 

Well according to MMM the best things in life often take a little effort and make you stronger and a badass. 

I encourage anyone who has the needle fear to put that aside and become the badass you know you are!

LOL - I tend to look away when they stick the needle in as well. Thanks for the reminder, i need to go donate again this week. I'm somewhat of an irregular donor, as I travel a lot and tend to spend some time in areas considered a risk almost every year - and I won't be able to donate for a while after the trip I'm leaving on at the end of the month. Apparently it's totally impossible to travel to South Africa without getting kooties in my blood - no matter what I do over there. It gets worse if I were to have sex with a South-African - do they ask that sort of embarrassing questions in the States as well?

[okits]

Yeah,  I don't exactly like needles as well.   So I don't look.  The pain is really very small but I can see it as a threshold. 

Well according to MMM the best things in life often take a little effort and make you stronger and a badass. 

I encourage anyone who has the needle fear to put that aside and become the badass you know you are!

LOL - I tend to look away when they stick the needle in as well. Thanks for the reminder, i need to go donate again this week. I'm somewhat of an irregular donor, as I travel a lot and tend to spend some time in areas considered a risk almost every year - and I won't be able to donate for a while after the trip I'm leaving on at the end of the month. Apparently it's totally impossible to travel to South Africa without getting kooties in my blood - no matter what I do over there. It gets worse if I were to have sex with a South-African - do they ask that sort of embarrassing questions in the States as well?

They do in Canada!

Along with stuff like "in your job, do you handle monkey brains or bodily fluids"?  Wonder how many yesses they get to that one!

[mandy_2002]

I'm a regular donor as well, and have found many benefits.  I basically treat that day as a total cheat day diet wise (apparently it takes some work/calories to replace that blood). 

My blood center also has a reward program.  For every donation, I get 300 points (100 for the donation, 100 for making and keeping an on-line appointment, and 100 because I'm a gold giver).  The points are good for types of ice cream and pizza, t-shirts, movie tickets, and gift cards to Amazon and Target.  Not a reason to donate, but a nice little prize.  I've also been given Raiders football tickets, food coupons, and t-shirts during certain drives.

[hybrid]

This is how we do it in RVA (Richmond VA)...

[Bob W]

Yeah,  I don't exactly like needles as well.   So I don't look.  The pain is really very small but I can see it as a threshold. 

Well according to MMM the best things in life often take a little effort and make you stronger and a badass. 

I encourage anyone who has the needle fear to put that aside and become the badass you know you are!

LOL - I tend to look away when they stick the needle in as well. Thanks for the reminder, i need to go donate again this week. I'm somewhat of an irregular donor, as I travel a lot and tend to spend some time in areas considered a risk almost every year - and I won't be able to donate for a while after the trip I'm leaving on at the end of the month. Apparently it's totally impossible to travel to South Africa without getting kooties in my blood - no matter what I do over there. It gets worse if I were to have sex with a South-African - do they ask that sort of embarrassing questions in the States as well?

You know they ask all sorts of sex questions.   I can't recall them all.  I don't think there was a specific country question but I could see that South African sex would be considered higher risk given the incidence of AIDS there.   

They ask the questions in a totally private room and the young lady asking mine seemed to be very sensitive and nonjudgmental.     The one question I remember was for men that if you have every had sex with another man since 1977 you were out.   

[goatmom]

Thanks for the encouragement Bob W.  I too have o negative blood and should get my but over there and donate more.  I don't know about selling blood but I know you can sell plasma for about $20.  I never did it but I know someone who works at a collection center.  They usually set up the collection centers in college towns and urban areas where they get lots of donors.  You can sell twice each week and I think it takes about an hour of your time.  Never felt inclined to do that.

[dandarc]

Last 2 times I've donated, someone has passed out while I was there.  The first one was pretty dramatic - guy started shaking and everything.  His girlfriend was donating as well and jumped up to try and help with the needle still in her arm.  Understand the concern, but you're wounded and in a room full of medical professionals - let them do their job.  Anyway, they both wound up fine and walked out of there before I was done.

It was double movie-ticket day on Friday, so good swag this time.

[Lizzy B.]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone. If it weren't for all you donors, there's a good chance my father could have been paralyzed or have died. He had guillain-barré syndrome, a rapidly progressing immune condition where the body suddenly decides to attack the nerves. The treatment is several infusions of blood that apparently includes parts from many different donors, likely several thousand donors (they only need a small amount of blood from each donor, apparently). He went from very fit to struggling to walk down a hallway unassisted in about 24 hours. One month after the transfusions and several weeks of rest, he was back to backpacking and racquetball.

I'd been a regular donator, but since this happened this spring, I'm a more motivated, enthusiastic doner. Since his transfusions included bits of so many people's blood, so I'll never be able to hit break even. So thanks, donors. You rock!

[FrugalShrew]

I love donating blood! I usually feel quite energized after donating.

[Spork]

I have rare blood, too, so they always email me telling me they are low on supplies. 

You would think that -- especially if you watch tv. 

Rare blood typically means they really don't need it that much.  Common blood types is what they need.  O+ and A+ are generally what they need the most of.

Source:  I worked 5 years at a blood bank in my youth.  For about the first 6 months, I was the one calling and telling you how desperately we needed <insert type here>.  Sometimes it was true... sometimes it was just a slow day and we had to hit the phones.  The rest of the time I worked in the back and saw how it was handled.  The more rare the type, the more likely it expired and we threw it out.   (The obvious outlier being O- .. not because it is rare, but because it is a universal donor.  Emergencies will often call for O- if there is not time for type/crossmatch.)

I'm AB-.  From TV you'd think that means I'm doomed to die if I ever need blood.  It's totally not true.  And AB- generally expires on the shelf.

[MissStache]

I have rare blood, too, so they always email me telling me they are low on supplies. 

You would think that -- especially if you watch tv. 

Rare blood typically means they really don't need it that much.  Common blood types is what they need.  O+ and A+ are generally what they need the most of.

Source:  I worked 5 years at a blood bank in my youth.  For about the first 6 months, I was the one calling and telling you how desperately we needed <insert type here>.  Sometimes it was true... sometimes it was just a slow day and we had to hit the phones.  The rest of the time I worked in the back and saw how it was handled.  The more rare the type, the more likely it expired and we threw it out.   (The obvious outlier being O- .. not because it is rare, but because it is a universal donor.  Emergencies will often call for O- if there is not time for type/crossmatch.)

I'm AB-.  From TV you'd think that means I'm doomed to die if I ever need blood.  It's totally not true.  And AB- generally expires on the shelf.

Hey, the marketing works!  I tried to give yesterday but my iron was too low :(  And I had red meat three times this week, which is crazy for me.

[RetiredAt63]

Such a fun thread.

AB- sure it's rare, but AB means you are a universal recipient (you can take A, B, or O), it is just the Rh neg that is rare (15% of the population is negative, so not horribly rare).

I started giving at 18, had given over 40 times by the time I was pregnant, and haven't given since - too many issues.  But I can remember times I talked up the donor clinic at our school and I went over with a bunch of my students - for many it was their first time donating, and seeing their teacher donate helped inspire/reassure them.  And I can attest that when people faint or have other issues, it is usually the guys.  Not just my experience, I have asked the nurses at the clinics and that is what they see too.  ;-)

It is sort of a family tradition, my Dad was O- (universal donor) and a regular donor, so the Red Cross loved him, and my daughter is now a regular donor, we are both A+.

[Chranstronaut]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

[Bob W]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

Hmmmm?  I was under the impression that the community blood center here now takes blood volume based on weight?   At least that was my impression when I gave.  Perhaps I'm wrong.   Maybe you could call your local center and ask them and see if you could give less?

[Spork]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

Hmmmm?  I was under the impression that the community blood center here now takes blood volume based on weight?   At least that was my impression when I gave.  Perhaps I'm wrong.   Maybe you could call your local center and ask them and see if you could give less?

It's been a while since I worked in the bidness, but it used to be 450ml.  It was "by weight" of the blood -- i.e., the normal weight of 450ml of human blood (which meant it was +/- about 25ml or so.)

They want a standard unit because that is what gets prescribed on the receiving end.

[CommonCents]

I believe they take the same amount from every person.  I didn't weigh enough to donate (cutoffs vary) until I was in grad school.  I passed out giving it the first time.  I was sitting eating my cookies and having the juice when I told the snack woman I didn't feel well.  Before I closed my eyes for my short nap, I remember this little old lady turning into a field general, barking orders to have the back of my chair lowered to the ground (keeping my legs up).  I felt quite foolish lying in the chair on the ground with people around me when I woke up, but a classmate assured me I was far more graceful than the big guy who went down after me.  Kept me for a while on the ground and then back in a chair having more snacks.  Eat your snacks, even if it seems silly!

I've donated irregularly since then, when it's convenient to me (near or at my work) and when I haven't recently traveled to a restrictive area like India.  Never gotten any baubles from it except a shirt once that said "Starve a vampire.  Donate blood" near Halloween.

I still feel guilty for not going in though, when I got a letter asking for platelets (3 hr process) because I was rare as I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.  If there was a way to find out if I still didn't have whatever it was, I'd do it.

O+

[Spork]

I still feel guilty for not going in though, when I got a letter asking for platelets (3 hr process) because I was rare as I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.  If there was a way to find out if I still didn't have whatever it was, I'd do it.

O+

The O+ is why they need you to donate platelets more than any other factor.  "Didn't have something" means you didn't have any weird antibodies... which most people don't.  But if you do, that can make crossmatch difficult.  But since almost 40% of the population is O+... they need that most.

[CommonCents]

I still feel guilty for not going in though, when I got a letter asking for platelets (3 hr process) because I was rare as I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.  If there was a way to find out if I still didn't have whatever it was, I'd do it.

O+

The O+ is why they need you to donate platelets more than any other factor.  "Didn't have something" means you didn't have any weird antibodies... which most people don't.  But if you do, that can make crossmatch difficult.  But since almost 40% of the population is O+... they need that most.

Interesting.  I had remembered the letter saying it was rare to not have the weird antibodies, which most adults develop.  Must be successful marketing techniques - I felt way more needed when they told me it was because I had special blood than if I have common blood!

[dandarc]

I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.

Probably CMV.  Something like 80% of US adults have it.  Causes no symptoms in healthy people, but in babies / immune compromised folks it can be a problem.

Not sure I'd be up for the platelets since it takes so long and they don't particularly need my platelets being O-, but the double-red-cell apheresis is awesome.  Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than whole blood, and I've always left feeling way better than when I arrived.  Like getting a gatorade shot up your arm or something.

[Spork]

I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.

Probably CMV.  Something like 80% of US adults have it.  Causes no symptoms in healthy people, but in babies / immune compromised folks it can be a problem.

Not sure I'd be up for the platelets since it takes so long and they don't particularly need my platelets being O-, but the double-red-cell apheresis is awesome.  Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than whole blood, and I've always left feeling way better than when I arrived.  Like getting a gatorade shot up your arm or something.

I could be wrong here (it's been a long long time).  I'm pretty sure platelets don't carry Rh factor.  I believe they're given group specific -- i.e. Rh is not a factor.  So, yeah, they need O always.  There are more recipients needing O so they need more donors.

[dandarc]

I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.

Probably CMV.  Something like 80% of US adults have it.  Causes no symptoms in healthy people, but in babies / immune compromised folks it can be a problem.

Not sure I'd be up for the platelets since it takes so long and they don't particularly need my platelets being O-, but the double-red-cell apheresis is awesome.  Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than whole blood, and I've always left feeling way better than when I arrived.  Like getting a gatorade shot up your arm or something.

I could be wrong here (it's been a long long time).  I'm pretty sure platelets don't carry Rh factor.  I believe they're given group specific -- i.e. Rh is not a factor.  So, yeah, they need O always.  There are more recipients needing O so they need more donors.

Must be they need the red cells more - they have always "recruited" me for the double red cell donation.

[Spork]

I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.

Probably CMV.  Something like 80% of US adults have it.  Causes no symptoms in healthy people, but in babies / immune compromised folks it can be a problem.

Not sure I'd be up for the platelets since it takes so long and they don't particularly need my platelets being O-, but the double-red-cell apheresis is awesome.  Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than whole blood, and I've always left feeling way better than when I arrived.  Like getting a gatorade shot up your arm or something.

I could be wrong here (it's been a long long time).  I'm pretty sure platelets don't carry Rh factor.  I believe they're given group specific -- i.e. Rh is not a factor.  So, yeah, they need O always.  There are more recipients needing O so they need more donors.

Must be they need the red cells more - they have always "recruited" me for the double red cell donation.

O- is red cell mecca.  Highly possible that really want you for that.

[Bob W]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

Hmmmm?  I was under the impression that the community blood center here now takes blood volume based on weight?   At least that was my impression when I gave.  Perhaps I'm wrong.   Maybe you could call your local center and ask them and see if you could give less?

It's been a while since I worked in the bidness, but it used to be 450ml.  It was "by weight" of the blood -- i.e., the normal weight of 450ml of human blood (which meant it was +/- about 25ml or so.)

They want a standard unit because that is what gets prescribed on the receiving end.

Oh that clarifies it.  They said they now take it based on weight and I assumed it meant proportionally based on the donors weight.

[mandy_2002]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

Hmmmm?  I was under the impression that the community blood center here now takes blood volume based on weight?   At least that was my impression when I gave.  Perhaps I'm wrong.   Maybe you could call your local center and ask them and see if you could give less?

It's been a while since I worked in the bidness, but it used to be 450ml.  It was "by weight" of the blood -- i.e., the normal weight of 450ml of human blood (which meant it was +/- about 25ml or so.)

They want a standard unit because that is what gets prescribed on the receiving end.

Oh that clarifies it.  They said they now take it based on weight and I assumed it meant proportionally based on the donors weight.

There is also the option of a double red blood donation, which is only offered to men of a certain weight.

[jwilliams0215]

Donated for the first time a few months ago and plan on going as much as possible (they e-mail me the day I am available to donate again). I've done it twice now and it "feels great". I'll drive to the location with the best giveaways :) Free dates with my wife afterwards, love it and the gift of giving. I heard some other countries (maybe Norway?) actually text you after your blood has been used to let you know you have helped or saved someone's life. That's pretty cool!

[Spork]

Yay blood donors!  Thank you!

I love giving blood and wish I still did it.  I went as soon as I was eligible for almost two years straight when a pop-up clinic came to my old job.  It was great!  The nurses loved my massive veins.

Eventually my doctor told me to slow down on the schedule I donate as I developed extreme exhaustion every time I donated.  I always found it unfair that they take the same amount of blood from a 5'0" woman as a 6'5" man.  It's 1/7 of my total blood volume!

Hmmmm?  I was under the impression that the community blood center here now takes blood volume based on weight?   At least that was my impression when I gave.  Perhaps I'm wrong.   Maybe you could call your local center and ask them and see if you could give less?

It's been a while since I worked in the bidness, but it used to be 450ml.  It was "by weight" of the blood -- i.e., the normal weight of 450ml of human blood (which meant it was +/- about 25ml or so.)

They want a standard unit because that is what gets prescribed on the receiving end.

Oh that clarifies it.  They said they now take it based on weight and I assumed it meant proportionally based on the donors weight.

There is a little gadget that cuts off the filling of the bag at a pre-defined weight.  This one looks a little old and ancient, but it'll give you the idea.  When the bag outweighs the counter weight, it tips and a little wedge squeezes the tube closed.

[CommonCents]

I didn't have something in my blood that chemo kids need to avoid.

Probably CMV.  Something like 80% of US adults have it.  Causes no symptoms in healthy people, but in babies / immune compromised folks it can be a problem.

Not sure I'd be up for the platelets since it takes so long and they don't particularly need my platelets being O-, but the double-red-cell apheresis is awesome.  Takes maybe 20 minutes longer than whole blood, and I've always left feeling way better than when I arrived.  Like getting a gatorade shot up your arm or something.

Ah thanks!  I googled, and yes, I think that was it.  It's been about 5 years though, so I may very well have it now.

[northernlights]

I've always wanted to do this, but for a number of years I was told no dice because I've had cancer. I'm told nowadays that's not an issue, due to better technology, plus I'm 30+ years cancer-free(yay!), so it can be done, but I'm worried that I could unwittingly pass something weird on. Any experienced blood donors/healthcare providers willing to share their thoughts on this? Am I being silly? Would you want blood from someone who's had cancer, even if it was a long, long time ago?

They will screen you. My mom is also 30 years cancer free (yay!) and she donates regularly. My husband and I donate when we can. He couldn't for a while due to being in England at the height of mad-cow, and I am borderline anemic, but it's such an easy way to help the community. I usually read a book or nap when I donate. :)

[Bob W]

I've always wanted to do this, but for a number of years I was told no dice because I've had cancer. I'm told nowadays that's not an issue, due to better technology, plus I'm 30+ years cancer-free(yay!), so it can be done, but I'm worried that I could unwittingly pass something weird on. Any experienced blood donors/healthcare providers willing to share their thoughts on this? Am I being silly? Would you want blood from someone who's had cancer, even if it was a long, long time ago?

They will screen you. My mom is also 30 years cancer free (yay!) and she donates regularly. My husband and I donate when we can. He couldn't for a while due to being in England at the height of mad-cow, and I am borderline anemic, but it's such an easy way to help the community. I usually read a book or nap when I donate. :)

I must have fast veins because I think the actual blood part of the trip took less than five minutes.   Anyone interested needs to allow at least an hour on a scheduled visit though to allow time for the questions and answers etc...