You Don’t Have to be Doctor to Save Lives

Guest blog post from Aris Grigoriou, Student Recruitment Manager at Study Medicine Europe.

One in four people will need a blood transfusion sometime in their lifetime. Read this infographic to find out why and how you should donate blood today.

Did you know that 3,000 blood donors are needed each week in Ireland, yet only 3% of the eligible Irish population give blood? In fact, between the years 2010 to 2015 there was a 21% decrease in the number of new blood donors.

Myths vs. Reality

Unfortunately, there are still many prevailing myths about blood donation which are deterring many potential donors.

One of the most common myths about giving blood is that it hurts. However, it is actually no more painful than a standard needle prick.

Another common misconception is that giving blood is unhealthy. In fact, only around 350-450ml of blood is taken from the body during a donation session and the body will replace this with new blood soon after donating.

Many are put off because they think that donating blood is time consuming. However, in most cases donors are in and out of the clinic within an hour.

The Benefits of Giving Blood

Donating blood helps many people to lead normal healthy lives. Donated blood is used to help people undergoing surgery, recovering from cancer or who have been in a serious accident. The fact is that many people would not be alive today if donors had not made the generous decision to give their blood.

Learn More about Blood Donation

If you would like to find out more about giving blood, take a look at the attached infographic from Study Medicine Europe which lays out some key facts about blood donation. You can also visit the Irish Blood Transfusion website to locate your nearest clinic and to learn if you are eligible to give blood.