Blood Donations: To Give or Not to Give.

Essay by danbetttCollege, UndergraduateA+, November 2003

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BJ Ethridge

September 23, 2002

Summary Report Essay

To Give or Not To Give

What is blood? Blood is a life force within our bodies that can also travel outside the body from one individual to another. Blood is the one of the few things people can give to others at no expense to themselves. It is the special gift that someone needs. It is the gift of life. The need for blood never ends. The demand is continuous, and there is no substitute for human blood. Our nation's blood supply is sustained entirely by voluntary donations; yet fewer than 5% of American are eligible to give blood do so each year. I would like to look at the advantages of giving blood, who can give blood, and who it might help. Also, I would like to look at the reasons a person may choose not to give blood. It could be a personal issue or a health issue preventing one to give blood.

On the other hand, some people even question its safety. However, there are two sides to this issue and David R. Spigel and Lise M. Stevens clarify those sides in their articles. In contrast, according too Syed Sadd, Andaleeb and Amiva K. Basu studies have stated that if people were more aware of the safety and risk free donations, they would be more likely to donate.

What are the advantages of donating blood or giving the gift of life? David R. Spigel stated that if the first time donors could be persuaded to donate again, that would also help increase our supply of blood on demand. To the patient fighting cancer, blood means hope. To the patient with anemia, blood means comfort. To the patient critically injured in a car accident, blood means life. Though you...