Please give blood. And get yor friends to do it as well.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 10:58 pm

http://www.blood.co.uk/pages/stocklevel.html

Check out the bottom graph. Stocks have been getting lower and lower for months.

http://www.blood.co.uk gives you a nice and easy way to get a date and place good for you.

Cliffjumper · Post by **Cliffjumper** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:03 pm

I would, but last time I tried they wouldn't take mine...

Post by **Hound** » Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:46 pm

Originally posted by Cliffjumper
I would, but last time I tried they wouldn't take mine...

Too tainted by you spite and venom?

Post by **Denyer** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 12:20 am

I think I get ruled out by the ten-year cold, and currently for piercing and/or tendency to accidentally stab myself on bits of hardware, but I'd be inclined to offer if it was nearby, didn't require a specific trip and wouldn't affect driving -- for starters, I'd be interested to know what blood group I am.

What's the "if you've received blood since 1980" bit all about, and surely it rules out a sizeable and ever-increasing percentage of the population?

The checks aren't very strenuous, or at least they didn't notice a friend of mine was high on mushrooms when there was a university drive -- and he didn't even realise this might present a problem, as things were completely normal for him.

edit:

Yeah, they've totally shot themselves in both feet with this...

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0, ... 92,00.html

CloudStrifer · Post by **CloudStrifer** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 5:38 pm

So do they give you money or something or is it only for you to feel good? (Not counting cookies or orange juice or food, I mean like money so something valuable)

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 7:39 pm

I believe that in the UK it's just done out of the goodness of peeps hearts.

Sadly the ones by me are allways whilst I'm asleep after a hard nights work.

CloudStrifer · Post by **CloudStrifer** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:04 pm

I thought it was for money. You go, give a pint and come out with $50 or something. Anyway, while I am not a fan of giving things for free, I wish them all the luck in collect how much they want.

Bouncelot · Post by **Bouncelot** » Sun Jul 30, 2006 9:11 pm

Originally posted by Denyer
What's the "if you've received blood since 1980" bit all about, and surely it rules out a sizeable and ever-increasing percentage of the population?

Yeah, people like me. I'd kind of intended to give blood but not got round to it, then I received a blood transfusion when I was in hospital a few years back, and that made me really want to give a bit of blood back to the system. But they won't let me...

Originally posted by Cloudstrifer
I thought it was for money. You go, give a pint and come out with $50 or something. Anyway, while I am not a fan of giving things for free, I wish them all the luck in collect how much they want.

IIRC, it's like that in the US, but it's certainly not in the UK.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:15 am

It's mindboggling how self-defeating that is; those who've had recourse to the bank are those most minded to put back into it, and those most likely to prompt others into doing so... when they discover people are being turned away...

I mean, it's already enough of a struggle for a large chunk of the population to get over their squeamishness.

Offhand I don't know where donation drives tend to be located, but another petty little barrier to goodwill is probably parking charges; people thoroughly resent surcharges on charitable acts.

RID Scourge · Post by **RID Scourge** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:14 am

Originally posted by Bouncelot
IIRC, it's like that in the US, but it's certainly not in the UK.

Probably depends on who sponsors it and whatnot. I've never received money for giving blood.

Haven't given in a while because the last time, they kept missing the vein and still made me wait the 15 minutes, in spite of the fact that I lost no blood. Now, that I'm inclined to do so again, it seems as if they have all their blood drives while I'm at work.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:55 am

Originally posted by CloudStrifer
I thought it was for money. You go, give a pint and come out with $50 or something.

$50 wouldn't do the average Englishman much good- We're not part of the US despite what certain peeps would have you think.

Sociopathic Autobot · Post by **Sociopathic Autobot** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:00 am

My only problem with the Blood Services of Canada is the slogan "It's in you to give."

No it isn't. It's in me to keep me alive. If I want to give it, I can.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:00 am

Originally posted by CloudStrifer
Anyway, while I am not a fan of giving things for free, I wish them all the luck in collect how much they want.

And yet you still grace us with your unique perspective without anybody offering financial reward...

By your logic, if people should be paid for donating, they should also be charged for receiving. Gotta cover the cost somehow.

Cyberman · Post by **Cyberman** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:14 am

Originally posted by Brendocon
By your logic, if people should be paid for donating, they should also be charged for receiving. Gotta cover the cost somehow.

Aren´t they? Not directly, perhaps, but the cost have to be covered. You´re paying tax to cover the cost, at least I do, this may vary in other countries.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:15 am

Originally posted by Cyberman
Aren´t they? Not directly, perhaps, but the cost have to be covered. You´re paying tax to cover the cost, at least I do, this may vary in other countries.

We pay in fresh new tea bags.

Halfshell · Post by **Halfshell** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:33 am

Originally posted by Cyberman
Aren´t they? Not directly, perhaps, but the cost have to be covered. You´re paying tax to cover the cost, at least I do, this may vary in other countries.

Which means that any payment for a donation could be classified as tax relief.

And seeing as there's so many people ineligible to donate, the whole system could be viewed as discriminatory. Punishing people for having received blood / having been ill / being gay / et cetera.

Nope. Best to keep it as is.

Post by **inflatable dalek** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 9:38 am

Of course, if you don't tell them you're gay (and you know you're not riddled with all sorts of exciting desieses as they seem to assume of course) they don't really have anyway of checking. Unless they use a mind probe.

Jetfire · Post by **Jetfire** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 10:27 am

Originally posted by CloudStrifer
I thought it was for money. You go, give a pint and come out with $50 or something. Anyway, while I am not a fan of giving things for free, I wish them all the luck in collect how much they want.

Then if you have a accident, need a transfusion or and opperation we'll enjoy your funeral. Greed isn't Charity.

Dispite most peoples misgivings the system does seem to work in the UK. Every time I have been (Haven't for 18 months now) there are plenty of people there and I've rarely been to the same one twice. The http://www.blood.co.uk website is excellent in finding a convient time and place for you. Recently however a change to the rules has knocked away many potential donars.

Originally posted by Denyer
It's mindboggling how self-defeating that is; those who've had recourse to the bank are those most minded to put back into it, and those most likely to prompt others into doing so... when they discover people are being turned away...

I mean, it's already enough of a struggle for a large chunk of the population to get over their squeamishness.

I find it easy. I just don't look and it's normally done well enough so you hardly feel it ata ll.

Offhand I don't know where donation drives tend to be located, but another petty little barrier to goodwill is probably parking charges; people thoroughly resent surcharges on charitable acts. [/B]

Most of the time it's done at a Church, School or town hall. Free parking is generally provided at most of those.

Originally posted by inflatable dalek
We pay in fresh new tea bags.

Not just tea bags. Hot water, milk, sugar and bickies too. Sometimes even chockies and crisps.

Clogs · Post by **Clogs** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:18 pm

Banned from doing it. Banned from being a bone marrow donor, too. Not that I'm riddled with evil diseases designed to bring down Mankind - just deep veins and a tendency not to bleed. Have been threatened with throat-slitting to obtain normal sample for testing. No free biccies and (yuck) tea will bring me to experience that, thank you.

Thank goodness some other people can donate, though.

Post by **Denyer** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 1:48 pm

Originally posted by Jetfire 2.1
I find it easy. I just don't look and it's normally done well enough so you hardly feel it ata ll.

Of course it's easy -- people are just equally easily freaked. They don't like knowing their food was walking around at some point, either.

*grumble* Should be school trips to abbatoirs for city folk. *grumble*

Originally posted by inflatable dalek
Of course, if you don't tell them you're gay

Yeah, that's another thing -- the only answer likely to be elicited is "none of your business." Probably with expletives for flavour.

What's the rationale for banning those who've received blood in the last couple of years? Are they openly saying that current blood stocks are contaminated? When do they start considering them safe?

Total lunacy.