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Every two seconds, someone needs blood.
But only 5 percent of eligible donors give blood despite the fact that by age 72, 97 percent of us will have needed blood, according to statistics provided by the American Red Cross.
Thursday, I trekked to Center Lake Pavilion to give a pint of blood at the Red Cross blood drive. It's been about two or three years since I gave last, when I lived in Indianapolis.
And while it's important to give blood every year, this winter the need is especially great.
Becky Notestine, Red Cross executive director, told me a few of the reasons why it's important to give. She said that partly because of the weather, not all regular donors can make it out to give, so the supply is rather low. And with many weather-related accidents, it's important to have blood in reserve.
Blood that is given can't be used right away. It takes 24 to 48 hours for each donation to be processed and tested, she said, so blood that is used must come from reserve supplies. "A lot of people don't think about that," she said.
Giving blood is not as hard or as painful as some may believe. Of course, there are some restrictions as to who can give.
A donor must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good general health. A donor can give blood every 56 days.
Other possible donation restrictions or deferrals may include but not be limited to: if a person has malaria, is pregnant, has AIDS/HIV or had viral hepatitis on or after age 11, and potential donors must wait 12 months if they've had or been treated for gonorrhea or syphilis. The doctors, nurses or volunteers can answer questions about other health concerns.
If you've never before given blood, the first thing you must do is fill out an information sheet. The questionnaire asks for your name, Social Security number, address and blood type, if you know it.
There are 39 questions to answer regarding your current health and health history.
After you fill out the information and answer the questionnaire, a Red Cross representative pricks your finger to get a little blood to test the iron in your blood. I didn't really notice the prick and my iron was good, I was told.
All the information supplied to the Red Cross is confidential - from the questionnaire to my blood pressure, my pulse and my temperature.
The last thing I had to do before I gave was to decide whether or not I thought my blood should be used. While the Red Cross representative looked away, I chose a sticker to designate whether or not the Red Cross should use my blood, and put the sticker in its proper place on the form.
Then it was time for me to give blood.
I chose to have them take the blood from my right arm. Debra Pass, the Red Cross representative who took my blood, had to do a little searching to find a vein. Once she found a good one, she marked the spot and put iodine on the area.
Quickly, and only with minor pain, Pass put the needle into my arm and into my vein to get to the blood. I watched as my blood, O positive, began filling the bag.
I know from experience and from information I've read and heard that by donating blood, I cannot get HIV or AIDS or any other disease. And since my blood will be processed and tested, no one could get anything from me, if I had any disease to give.
After my pint was filled, they bandaged me up, told me what I needed to do if there were any complications and sent me to the "rest" area. There, I ate a ham salad sandwich, chips and cookies and my choice of Pepsi, water or coffee.
Then I was on my way, all in less than an hour.
Giving blood is important because the life I helped save may be my own. And the life you help save by giving blood may be your own or a parent's, a sibling's or a child's.
The bloodmobile will be at Center Lake Pavilion, Warsaw, Jan. 9 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. They will be at Calvary United Methodist Church, Syracuse, Jan. 4 from 3 to 7 p.m.
To make an appointment, call 800-GIVE-LIFE.
