to think that you shouldn't wait until someone you love needs blood, GIVE BLOOD NOW!

[DingDongMerrilyOutOfSeason]

Discounting all the people who cannot give blood for medical reasons and those with severe phobias (and you don't count if you have had blood tests etc and just didn't enjoy them), AIBU to think that if you would want to receive blood and you are in good health and mentally capable, you should give blood?
Let's be honest, how many of you just haven't got round to it but keep meaning to?
I have made it easy for you, sometimes all you need is a shove gentle nudge in the right direction like I did. I am so glad someone shoved nudged me so I am passing it on.
go on, do it!

[happygilmore]

Please give blood - it saved my life and I really wish I could do it again (did it a few times before, but not enough). Such an amazing, and easy, thing to do.

[bessie26]

Oooh penguin biscuits dingding? do you still have to wait 9months after giving birth?!

[SallyTomato]

Yanbu.

I haven't done it in 5 years due to op's and now possibly having crohns disease. I am so desperate to find out what's wrong with my stomach (hopefully just bad IBS) so I can get the all clear and start giving blood again. I'm a bit snippy about people who just can't be bothered to do it. Fine if its for religious reasons or needle phobia, otherwise get your arse down there.

[Lunabelly]

Yanbu.

Have got my first ever appointment next month, and will hopefully be able to go onto the bone marrow register from there as well. Been meaning to do it for years but life just keeps getting in the way IYSWIM.

Am terrified, as I have a real thing about having blood taken, am almost sick just having a blood test, but it needs to be done (I'll screw my eyes shut and think "lalala, I'm not looking"). DD3 had blood and plasma transfusions and even cadaver skin to stabilise her wounds, so giving something back is something I need to do.

[PoppyDoolally]

i'm a registered blood donor but can't when pregnant or 12 months after birth.

so donate breastmilk to milk bank instead. good enough for you ?

[DingDongMerrilyOutOfSeason]

ThePrincessRoyalFiggyrolls without sounding too pompus, well done!
Lunabelly it is never as bad as you think, you will feel great to know that you are helping someone the way your DD was helped.
Poppy I suppose that will have to do for now

[thumbwitch]

COuntries outside the UK don't want our blood because of the vCJD risk. Anyone who lived in the UK for longer than 6 months between 1980 and 1996 is debarred from donating blood in Australia, because there is no reliable test for vCJD as yet.
The number of cases of vCJD is declining, but the powers that be have decided that, in the absence of any real knowledge, there is a chance that it could have an incubation period of up to 50 years.

The Australian Red Cross may reconsider our tainted blood when a reliable and accurate test for vCJD becomes available. I would imagine that other countries, including Ireland, have similar policies.

There is no point in the UK having any such policy for the majority of its residents as most people who were there between 1980 and 1996 still are, and all would have had the same exposure risks, roughly. Can't even rule out vegetarians as at least one vegetarian has had vCJD.

Anyone who has had a transfusion in the UK since 1980 is also debarred from donating blood.

here are the Aussie reasons - also there is a factsheet re. gay men giving blood.