It's in you to give...

When I heard the the blood donor clinic was coming to my school I felt a nudge to do it. I love doing things to help others, especially small things that make a difference directly. I was nervous but went to the booth in front of the caf a made an appointment. Unfortunately, when the day came, I hadn't drunk enough fluids so I couldn't give. It was a waste of 3 hours but I was determined to go through with this. So I made an appointment at the local blood donor clinic and went in. The whole process took about an hour. It could take a lot longer if there are lots of people but luckily for me it was pretty empty :D.

The reason I'm telling you guys this is because it's a quick, easy and virtuously painless (I say virtuously because it pricks for all of 2 seconds when they put the needle in) way to save lives and earn volunteer hours (for all you high schoolers out there). The amount of time that the blood is being taken can be anywhere from 7-15 minutes depending on your blood. It saves 3 lives and you get about 5 volunteer hours! If you've ever even thought about doing it, or even if you haven't, DO IT!!! It's not as scary as it seems and you'll feel great about yourself afterward...not to mention the free snacks you get after ;). If you live in Canada call 1-888-2-DONATE to make an appointment. They have people that will walk you through everything you have to do and tell you if you're eligible or not (there are some people who aren't able to give).

Just a rule of thumb, eat normally the day before and after you give (not skipping meals now) and make you sure you drink A LOT of fluids. Other than that just stay relaxed and I guarantee you'll be fine.

I just made my second appointment today! I'm not forcing you to do this, I'm just trying to make you aware of another option if you like helping others. A lot of people don't really think about it but small things like this definitely do wonders for the community we live in. And that's where it has to start right!?

If you want to contact the Canadian Blood Services please visit their website.