medical public relations specialist
“I am 42 years old, of which I have been a regular blood donor for 10 years.”
I am a journalist and public relations specialist by training, and it just so happens that I have worked in the medical field my entire life. Twenty years ago, at the beginning of her career, she was a hospital press secretary. In the clinic there was a pediatric oncohematology department and blood was always needed. But they rejected me: I didn’t weigh much and I also smoked.
In 2013, one of my friends had problems happen: he was diagnosed with leukemia, was undergoing treatment, and posted on social media asking for help. I responded because at that time he had already given up bad habits. A couple of coworkers accompanied me. We arrived at the hospital where my friend lay and donated blood.
The blood donation process did not cause me any unpleasant sensations either during or after the donation. That hospital also had an oncohematology department. So I thought I’d go back there. We work nearby and began to come regularly to the department to donate blood. That’s how I got involved.
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In 2016 I joined the registry of potential bone marrow donors and I hope one day to be able to help someone. During the Covid period, when activity in the city froze, they called me several times to donate.
Being a donor means taking responsibility for your health.
When I visit doctors, I often ask if the prescribed treatment will affect my regular donations. I always have to have a good and sufficient hemoglobin level, and when I was a child I had anemia.
Also read:
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I was saved by regular blood exchange and a sufficiently maintained hemoglobin level. I believe that donation helped me cope with my illness, because I monitor my nutrition and well-being, biochemistry and clinical blood parameters. I stopped smoking a long time ago, I play sports, although my weight still does not exceed 55 kg; This, by the way, is the lowest mark of the minimum possible weight for a blood donor.
Every time a donor comes to donate blood, they are given a rapid finger prick blood test to determine their hemoglobin level. A reading less than 120 is grounds for rejection. The doctor will not allow you to donate and will send you home to eat liver and take iron supplements.
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There are no ailments or dizziness during donations, but there is a feeling of lightness, euphoria and joy, probably all donors have it, and that is why a person comes to the blood transfusion station again and again.
This year I submitted documents for the “Honorary Donor of St. Petersburg” sign. It is awarded to donors whose number of blood donations exceeds 20. However, I am not going to stop at this stage, I will continue to donate blood as long as age and health allow.
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doctor’s opinion
Rüstem Sadykov
Candidate of Medical Sciences, clinical pharmacologist, director of the AlfaBiom company
“Donation is not only a good deed, but it is also beneficial for the donor himself.”
First of all, the donor undergoes constant examination. The procedures usually include preliminary medical examinations, which can evaluate the state of health or identify possible diseases, even if the person was not aware of them previously.
After blood donation, the donor’s health is carefully monitored, which helps to identify disease problems at an early stage and start treatment. In addition, regular blood donation helps stimulate hematopoiesis and cleanse the body.
Photo: istockphoto.com
Of course, anemia is unlikely to be cured by donation. People with such disease will not be allowed to become donors. It has many causes, so blood donation cannot be considered a prevention or treatment option.
If you have no contraindications, your blood is suitable for this purpose; I recommend you think about helping people without sacrificing anything.
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