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Original poster

If you can, please make donating blood a news year resolution...

118 replies

Thorilicious · 20/12/2021 10:30

I've only been able to donate once this year, but was booked in for 3 appointments. These had to be cancelled due to Covid in the house, but that's 2 pints that could have saved someone's life.
I appreciate some people can't or don't feel comfortable donating blood, but if it's something that you've always thought about doing, make 2022 the year you sign up.
Plus, you get biscuits at the end of your session!

OP posts:
notdealingwithit · 20/12/2021 11:00

I'm not allowed because I had a c section and needed a transition. I'm AB - too. It's a shame really.

Tickly · 20/12/2021 11:08

They've called me twice this month so I think stocks are low. Unfortunately it was just after my booster and the advice was 7 days after booster or 28 if adverse reaction (I had fatigue and rather unwell for several days - obviously still happy to have had booster!). So I need to wait until the end of Dec. I will though. It's quick and easy to donate blood and you get chocolate biscuits. What's not to like!

Tickly · 20/12/2021 11:12

@notdealingwithit

I'm not allowed because I had a c section and needed a transition. I'm AB - too. It's a shame really.
It may be worth a call to nhsbt to confirm this. I have a vague recollection that a single transfusion related to childbirth didn't necessarily mean you could never donate again. The CS alone doesn't rule you out (provided the 6 months post partum period has passed).
QueryA · 20/12/2021 11:42

The blood donating service come to our town once every 4 months or so (Scotland) and I try to get an appointment but they all are filled within about a week of them being released (which is about a month before they actually come!) I figure if they were that short of donors then they would have free appointments. Haven’t been able to give at all this year due to lack of appointments

TheChosenTwo · 20/12/2021 11:45

I signed up in September, someone from the blood bank organisation phoned me. I’ve not done it before, too scared, but I have a few relatives who are alive today because of blood donations so think I need to just get over myself - the earliest one I could be booked in for was January so I’m going in a few weeks.

TuftyMarmoset · 20/12/2021 11:49

I’m booked to give in March, gotta get my free Biscuit!

My employer gives us a certain amount of time off for volunteering and I was surprised to find we can use this to give blood so if anyone else’s work has a similar scheme do check Smile

Miranda79 · 20/12/2021 11:53

Nidan2Sandan - I have the same problem. Have been going for years but less than 50% success 😞. My best chance is end of the day, lots of water and heat. I’m in Australia (did donate in the U.K. as well) and even in summer I arrive with slippers, my own blanket and I make them heat up as many heat packs as they can! It’s hit and miss though, some vein clamp shut very easily

itwasntaparty · 20/12/2021 11:55

Unfortunately I can't but I used too. Blood transfusions saved my life after a placental abruption

Itsmemaggie · 20/12/2021 11:56

I’m off to donate this afternoon. This is the link for those in Northern Ireland nibts.hscni.net/

Thesechipsdontlie · 20/12/2021 11:59

I'm guessing they won't take me as I'm pg? But definitely after I've had the baby x

Yellow85 · 20/12/2021 12:01

I usually donate too, but annoyingly we’ve moved to one large donor centre in the city centre. No parking or anything. It’s just made it really difficult as I’d have to write off most of the day to get there on public transport. I don’t know what the answer is, but it used to be much easier to donate.

littleowls83 · 20/12/2021 12:02

I can't but DH does. They do make it fairly difficult though, frequently canceling appointments and having long waiting times. I think there's a good chance in my area you would have given up by now if not really committed. DH has given blood regularly ever since having emergency surgery himself.

BurscoughBooths · 20/12/2021 12:08

@Yellow85

I usually donate too, but annoyingly we’ve moved to one large donor centre in the city centre. No parking or anything. It’s just made it really difficult as I’d have to write off most of the day to get there on public transport. I don’t know what the answer is, but it used to be much easier to donate.
This is why I have stopped donating. The city centre walk in was really convenient as I could pop in when work was quiet. Now I am expected to make an appointment weeks in advance to travel 5 miles to an inconvenient location. I don’t want a free biscuit. I don’t want emails and texts about what they do with my blood.
MakingTheBestOfIt · 20/12/2021 12:12

This is something I really want to do once I get my migraines under better control.

Simonjt · 20/12/2021 12:21

After a long fight I was able to start donating this year, luckily round here it’s fairly easy to get appointments, plus we are allowed to take time off work for certain causes without losing holiday, blood donation is one of them.

ExquisitelyDecorated · 20/12/2021 12:29

I have managed twice this year and booked in again for early Jan. Passed my 50th donation milestone last year. I agree its not always easy to get appointments though, especially if you have to cancel and try to re-book.

ladybranstonpickle · 20/12/2021 12:35

I donate regularly and agree the club biscuits are a highlight! I decided to commit to regular blood donations (as often as allowed) after returning from a decade living abroad where I was not allowed to donate. I also had an EMC two years ago and although fortunately did not need any transfusions I could have!

I dislike needles and pain but find it perfectly manageable. It's a sharp scratch for less than 3 seconds when the needle goes in and then no feeling at all. Occasionally some tingles in my fingers but that goes away once you wriggle them. It takes me less than 15 mins to donate and then it's onto the squash and biscuits Grin.

hellosunshineagainx · 20/12/2021 12:41

I'm ab+ so I can have any blood but no other blood group can have mine so they never want it!

PolytheneRam · 20/12/2021 12:48

It used to be a lot easier to do. It's so hard to get an appointment these days, and there seem to be no drop in seasions

Odoreida · 20/12/2021 12:53

If you're in London there are loads of appointments, walk-ins etc. Perhaps if you live rurally but ever visit a city, make a blood donation part of your day? It's an amazing thing to do. I also have special blood @ChimChimeny 🥰

girlmom21 · 20/12/2021 12:59

@Yellow85

I usually donate too, but annoyingly we’ve moved to one large donor centre in the city centre. No parking or anything. It’s just made it really difficult as I’d have to write off most of the day to get there on public transport. I don’t know what the answer is, but it used to be much easier to donate.
Birmingham?
Thepowerofthelook · 20/12/2021 13:01

I used to give blood regularly until 2003 when I had my first blood transfusion. I've since had to have two more lots (7+ pints each time) all 3 times were lifesavers. I'm very grateful for the donators and the staff, my children have a mum because of them. I have a need for a specific type of blood and one time it was flown from the other side of the UK for me it must have taken a lot of staff to do so. It always seemed a simple thing to me giving blood, I never really thought about what it could do for the recipient until I was thar recipient.

MrsLargeEmbodied · 20/12/2021 13:06

@TuftyMarmoset

I’m booked to give in March, gotta get my free Biscuit!

My employer gives us a certain amount of time off for volunteering and I was surprised to find we can use this to give blood so if anyone else’s work has a similar scheme do check Smile

oh i remember a colleague used to donate in work hours, that may be why.
WakeUpLockie · 20/12/2021 13:08

I can’t 😭 but have recently signed up to donate stem cells with DMKS instead.

WakeUpLockie · 20/12/2021 13:08

*DKMS