to ask you all to please go and give blood.

[LoveAndOtherIndoorSports]

if you can.

Some of us might be too old, fat and knackered to be registered to donate bone marrow but people undergoing cancer treatments also need an awful lot of blood.

So if you can, please have a look at blood.org and give blood.

It. Is something so easy snd simple that most of us can do to help.

Thanks.

I would love to but unfortunately will never be able to as I had Hep C and even though it's been undetectsbe after treatment for 18 months they still don't want my blood.

I'd love to, and donate bone marrow and platelets but I can't.

Physcially can't rather than medically can't.

I was told not to bother going anymore as they couldn't get a viable donation from me.

I do encourage others to do it tho.

No one would want my blood 'tis poisonous

Just wanted to bump this though OP, blood donations saved my DH's life after an accident. If it wasn't for that blood being available I would never have met him and my lovely DD wouldn't be here today!

I have an appointment to donate in two weeks. It will be my first time!

Okay, I have a monumentally stupid question: how do you do that in this country?

I grew up in the US and they used to have these 'blood drives' - great idea, really! They'd have mobile wagons/ caravan things and set them up in busy public locations. I remember always seeing them parked at the train station during rush hour - they got loads that way!

But there doesn't seem to be anything similar here. So how do you do it?

I haven't been able to for a while as I had a pg/mc/pg thing going on for ages. Last week I went mad and as dd2 is coming up 6 months I booked appts for the next 18 months!

It seems they've changed the post baby deadline recently. After dd1 it was 9 months after birth, now it's 6 months.

RP, there are blood vans around some of the time, big supermarkets often have them. Or church halls are another hiding place :) or make an appt through blood.co.uk.

Thanks Gwen! Don't go to church and honestly never saw one in a supermarket. Will check out that site.

Revolting another place is university campuses. The local uni has one once a month in term time.

Just booked :)

Turq I work at a university but never seen a van here!

Bump. My life was saved last year when I had multiple transfusions when a stomach ulcer bled and had repeated haemorrages. I received 20+ packs (and that's just while I was conscious). Was perfectly healthy until about a week before. Damn anti inflammatories.

You never know when you'll need it. But donating it WILL save a life.

Does anyone know if you're allowed to give blood if you are bf?not newborn, ds is nine months....

Donating is sooooo easy. Plus you get squash and a nice biscuit after .

How long after a minor op do you have to wait now? Only minor, no blood loss but did have a GA.

I gave blood when I was bf. no problem at all, but they did warn me beforehand my iron would have to be ok (you know where they do the blood drop test first).

Shred - thanks. I'll find a donation clinic then. Lots of spinach for me :)

I can't donate but urge others to do so :)

RP: The vans aren't as common as just using a hall or room I think, which would explain why you hadn't seen them! I've never seen a van either now I think of it!

I tried, and failed , to give blood 3 times. High blood pressure was the reason for the first 2 (which finally got me to go to GP and am now on treatment so something to be grateful for - I'd never have known!), 3rd time was due to my anaphylaxis reactions to insect bites - I thought that was odd as I carry 2 epipens and it's a constant "risk". The guy said they weren't equipped to handle it if I went into shock while giving blood.. Perhaps I should email them and ask as it doesn't feel like a substantial reason and I'd be so proud to donate.

Thank you for the reminder OP

Anyone up here wanting to donate can find places and times through www.scotblood.co.uk/

And the site for England and North Wales is www.blood.co.uk/

Both have links which will tell you what restrictions there are etc, if you're not sure if you'd be eligible.

There are so many who can't donate for various reasons, it's really important that those of us who can do it try to make the effort.

Bumping, I do every 3-4 months when they let me and need to look seriously about donating platelets and bone marrow after dc3 is born.

DH does it every six months, so did my father when he was able to.
I tried twice but was told I was anaemic.

Still I donated cord blood when gave birth to DS.

Please please do it if you can.

to LoveAndOtherIndoorSports for bringing it up

Another saying a huge thank to those that do and a plea to those that can to Ho and donate.

My DS1 received numerous donations during his four month stay in the neonatal unit just after he was born and without them he wouldn't have made it. I am immensely grateful to all who donate.

Remember if you are a blood donor you can register on the British Bone Marrow Registry until your 50th birthday. Just tell them when you donate and they will take an extra blood sample.
www.nhsbt.nhs.uk/bonemarrow/qa

I gave yesterday, in my lunch hour, a number of my collegues were surprised that you can give blood and be fine to go back to work straight afterwards.

Thanks!! I just just booked an appointment to give blood and when I am there I am going to register for the bone marrow donor.