Blood Donation Drive

Venue: HSA

Meeting Place: Outram Park MRT control station

Date: 20th February (Sunday)

Time: 10am (have a low-fat breakfast before coming)

Things to note for first-timers:

1) You should be strictly ABOVE 18 to be eligible to donate blood. The date matters, so make sure you're born before 20th February 1993. Otherwise you need a consent form signed by your parents here: http://www.hsa.gov.sg/publish/hsaportal/en/health_services/blood_donation/eservices_and_forms.html

2) Are of healthy weight (above 45kg) and generally in good health. Have not had any symptoms of infection (eg. sore throat, runny nose, cough, diarrhea) in at least 1 week and had not had fever in the past 3 weeks.

3) Preferbally not vegetarian. There's a test for iron levels in your blood before donation and vegetarians are more likely to fail in this. If you are, eat some meat one week before donation to boost your iron levels.

4) Ensure that your last blood donation was at least 3 months ago.

5) Ensure that you're not on any medication and/or traditional medication. If you are, stop 3 days before.

For regular blood donation it usually takes about 45 mins or so.

Apheresis donations, where only certain components of blood is drawn, is longer at about 45-90mins. I checked out the HSA website and here are the components of blood they require most from each blood type:

Blood Group	Preferred Type of Donation
	1st Choice	2nd Choice	3rd Choice
A+	Whole Blood	Plateletpheresis	Plasmapheresis
B+	Plateletpheresis	Plasmapheresis	-
O+	Whole Blood	Plateletpheresis	-
AB+	Plasmapheresis	Whole Blood	-
A-	Double-units Red Cell Apheresis	Whole Blood	-
B-	Whole Blood	Plateletpheresis	-
O-	Double-units Red Cell Apheresis	Whole Blood	-
AB-	Plasmapheresis	Whole Blood	-

If you're still unsure about the whole process, click here: http://www.hsa.gov.sg/publish/hsaportal/en/health_services/blood_donation/donation_process/donation_process.html

or ask anyone who has donated before. I know Mabel, Pearson and Kevin have.

Eat healthy, sleep well and hope to see you then:)

Cherise