Bleeding hearts bleed the best

Monday morning, I reported to the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center in College Station to donate blood.

I’ve been donating blood since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attack. Up to that point I had been thinking about donating. That was the impetus to get me to do it. I wish I could say I’ve been a regular donor since then. I started out donating as often as I could, but life gets in the way. Work, moves, illness, and travel have caused me to miss quite a bit. I even had a year deferral once due to travel outside of an area they consider safe.

The thing is, there is a growing need for blood donors. The Greater Houston Metro Area is served by Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center and needs an average of 1,000 donations per day. In the United States, only 37% of the population is eligible to donate and only 10% do annually. Most of those are whole blood donations and can be done at a mobile blood drive or in a donation center.

I usually go to a center where I can schedule my time and the type of donation I want to do. I usually tell them to “take whatever you need.” That almost always turns out to be platelets and red blood cells.

In addition to whole blood, donors can give red blood cells, platelets, and/or plasma. Platelets are in high demand for cancer patients and those undergoing a bone marrow transplant. Because the body quickly replenishes them, you can donate more often than you can with whole blood.

Since 9/11 I have personally seen the need for blood donations through cancer fights and other medical issues with close family and friends. Seeing that impact up close has convinced me that I will be a blood donor as long as my body lets me. Trust me, the minor inconvenience of making a blood donation pales in comparison to the satisfaction of helping save lives.

If you feel compelled to donate blood, or if you’re a donor who just needed a reminder, you can go to www.giveblood.org (or search for your nearest blood center) and schedule an appointment or locate a convenient blood drive. Who knows, the life you help save could be yours or someone you know.

 

Fighting cancer

Another way you can help save lives is by donating money to the American Cancer Society. This is an organization very near and dear to my heart. Many years ago I used to participate in its signature fundraising event called Relay for Life – a couple times as a team captain. I am now engaged in a fundraiser on Facebook called the Photo a Day Challenge. The idea is to register on their page and then post a picture each day in November to help draw people’s attention to the worthy cause of fighting cancer. If you’d like to help, look me up on Facebook and click on my donation link.

Most of us are aware that October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and November is Movember, or no-shave November where men grow a mustache and raise money for men’s health issues, including prostate and testicular cancer. To learn more, visit us.movember.com.

When it comes to fighting cancer, I am fully engaged in the battle. I have had three basal cell skin cancers removed in the last couple of years, but more importantly, my wife is battling melanoma skin cancer. This is on top of numerous family members and friends who have and are battling cancer. Not all of them made it.

Cancer does not discriminate based on age, race, gender, or any other identifying factor. There are controllable factors such as smoking and exposure to sunlight and certain chemicals that impact cancer rates, but for the most part it can hit anyone anytime. It’s important to get regular checkups with your doctor. For those of us over 50 it is highly advisable to get a colonoscopy. That can reveal cancerous and precancerous polyps that are easily removed. For the women, it is strongly recommended that you get a regular mammogram, and men a prostate check.

Early detection and treatment increase your likelihood of surviving cancer. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones to get checked regularly, especially as you age.

When I was working for my hometown newspaper in Longmont, Colorado, I had what I called the bleeding heart beat. I usually covered most of the fundraisers and other events related to worthy causes, such as feeding the hungry, helping the homeless, and fighting cancer. Now I’m asking you if your heart bleeds for any of these significant causes to get off the couch and get involved. Whether you can do a little or a lot, every bit helps and we need your support.