It’s been 54 years since President Richard Nixon proclaimed January as National Blood Donor Month. It’s something most of us can do and it’s much needed.
Whether it’s because of an accident, surgery or a disease like sickle cell disease or cancer, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
And while each year an estimated 6.8 million people in the country donate blood, that’s a drop in the bucket when you consider there are more than 334 million people living in the U.S. That means about 2% of Americans donate blood.
Type O negative is needed the most because it can be given to anyone. Unfortunately, only 7% of people in the U.S. are Type O negative. Type AB plasma can be transfused to patients of all blood types. However, only 4% of people in the U.S. have type AB blood, according to the American Red Cross.
While there can be a few negative side effects to giving blood, such as dizziness and lightheadedness, there also are some positive side effects including a significant reduction in the risk of suffering a heart attack, according to a study in the American Journal of Epidemiology. Another study by the University of San Diego found that donating one pint of blood “burns” between 600 and 650 calories.
And, of course, there’s the benefit of helping others in need of blood.
Visit redcrossblood.org