Friends2support.org - A Blood donors Database - Indians must read

Oh my God, It could't have been a better website for blood donation and blood transfusion need of India. One of my  roomie told me about this service last Monday and it urged me to surf against it. To be honestly frank, that was the first time I saw this site http://www.friends2support.org/  and I was totally astounded and mesmerized  by the website and their service. I don't know how I happened to miss this website against my prying and inquisitive eyes as it is in action since 2005, even I am ashamed of that too. I feel pity to say, it would have reached the heights if it was published in Fb Pages. Some of you might be knowing this, but I am somewhat sure that many might have not even come across this website and its existence. I am writing this blog to create some awareness of their service and even, who knows it may save you/your relation's life in future.

Just consider one of your beloved ones or your family member met with an accident and in a big pressing need for blood to be transfused or imagine you need plasma to save your new born child, then what will you do? either (i) you will go to blood bank and request for blood or (ii)you desperately request whoever comes in to your mind to donate. But unfortunately all your doors were closed, no stock in blood bank and people whom you requested as donor are out of reach to donate and your clock ticking. Then what will you do, wouldn't you wish to approach some required donors straight away? YES! You can and You have got Friends2Support. Have you witnessed loss of life for the only reason that a donor was not available at the most needed hour? Is it something that we as a society can do nothing to prevent?  

Friends2support:

This website provides you an orbit to find

1)blood donors for your need

2)everyday blood requests, and

3)Registration page where you will able to register yourself as a donor and much more.  

When you simply go to its home page and search with your town/city, you will come to know how many volunteers are already there. I have tested with small villages even, it fetches donors lists.That is quite good isn't ? What I admired from this site is, it was not started as a organisation, simply by some software engineers and even they are taking the site maintenance too. These are the things will make us to think how an individual can change the society. All I could say is it is a free blood donation/need database which all should at least aware of it . 

Their vision is: To pave way for a safer and better tomorrow.

• Safer, by bringing blood donors and those in need to a common platform.
• Better, by providing every person what he/she deserves the most, best education.

Their Aim in next 5 years,

• To be the real hope of every Indian in search of a voluntary blood donor.
• To set up a well organised infrastructure through out the country to cater to the education of the under resourced by way of maintaining a repository of contributed books and providing as many resources as possible for rural child education.

 Once you got to know about it, Just don't stop right away. Be a member. I am not forcing you to donate here, but driving you to get the awareness how to approach, where approach and whom to approach. We may not get time to inquire when we are in need. This facility comes with us everywhere, They have given us mobile app too for our timely need.  

People will get the blood, only when people start donating the blood, Because We cannot manufacture blood. From my point, Blood is the ultimate renewable source. So Why don't give a try and create awareness to our friends. 

Well Below are some of the facts ans stats given by Pune University, Which will give you a change, I Hope. 

Who can/can't donate blood ? 

Can... Let others benefit from your good health. Do donate blood if ... you are between age group of 18-60 years. your weight is 45 kgs or more. your haemoglobin is 12.5 gm% minimum. your last blood donation was 3 months earlier. you are healthy and have not suffered from malaria, typhoid or other transmissible disease in the recent past. There are many, many people who meet these parameters of health and fitness! So be truthful about your health status! Can't... Do not donate blood if you have any of these conditions cold / fever in the past 1 week. under treatment with antibiotics or any other medication. cardiac problems, hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes (on insulin therapy), history of cancer,chronic kidney or liver disease, bleeding tendencies, venereal disease etc.  major surgery in the last 6 months. vaccination in the last 24 hours. had a miscarriage in the last 6 months or have been pregnant / lactating in the last one year.  had fainting attacks during last donation. have regularly received treatment with blood products. shared a needle to inject drugs/ have history of drug addiction.  had sexual relations with different partners or with a high risk individual. been tested positive for antibodies to HIV. How ever you can still be a organ donor, if you want to donate something valuable Pregnancy And Menstrual Cycle Females should not donate blood during pregnancy. They can donate after 6 weeks following a normal delivery and when they are not breast feeding.  Females should not donate blood if they are having heavy menstrual flow or menstrual cramps

Facts about donors

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• The number one reason donors say they give blood is because they "want to help others."
• Two most common reasons cited by people who don't give blood are: "Never thought about it" and "I don't like needles."
• One donation can help save the lives of up to three people.
• If you began donating blood at age 18 and donated every 90 days until you reached 60, you would have donated 30 gallons of blood, potentially helping save more than 500 lives!
• Only 7 percent of people in India have O-negative blood type. O-negative blood type donors are universal donors as their blood can be given to people of all blood types.
• Type O-negative blood is needed in emergencies before the patient's blood type is known and with newborns who need blood.
• Thirty-five percent of people have Type O (positive or negative) blood.
• 0.4 percent of people have AB-blood type. AB-type blood donors are universal donors of plasma, which is often used in emergencies, for newborns and for patients requiring massive transfusions

WHAT TYPE ARE YOU?

FREQUENCY OF BLOOD TYPES
O+ 1 person in 3	O- 1 person in 15
A+ 1 person in 3	A- 1 person in 16
B+ 1 person in 12	B- 1 person in 67
AB+ 1 person in 29	AB- 1 person in 167

EXAMPLES OF BLOOD USE
1. Automobile Accident	50 units of blood
2. Heart Surgery	6 units of blood / 6 units of platelets
3. Organ Transplant	40 units of blood / 30 units of platelets
4. 20 bags of cryoprecipitate	25 units of fresh frozen plasma
5. Bone Marrow Transplant	120 units of platelets/ 20 units of blood
6. Burn Victims	20 units of platelet

Facts about the blood donation process

• Donating blood is a safe process. A sterile needle is used only once for each donor and then discarded.
• Blood donation is a simple four-step process: registration, medical history and mini-physical, donation and refreshments.

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• Every blood donor is given a mini-physical, checking the donor's temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin to ensure it is safe for the donor to give blood.

• The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes. The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 min.

• The average adult has about 10 units of blood in his body. Roughly 1 unit is given during a donation.
• A healthy donor may donate red blood cells every 56 days, or double red cells every 112 days.

• A healthy donor may donate platelets as few as 7 days apart, but a maximum of 24 times a year.

• All donated blood is tested for HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis and other infectious diseases before it can be transfused to patients.

Facts about blood 

1. Blood makes up about 7% of your body's weight.
2. An adult of average weight has about 10 to 12 units of blood.
3. A newborn baby has approximately one cup of blood in his/her body.
4. Sixty percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, however, only five percent do.
5. Blood fights against infection and helps heal wounds, keeping you healthy.
6. There are four main blood types: A, B, AB and O.
7. More than 10 tests, nine of which are for infectious diseases, are performed on each unit of donated blood.
8. Just one unit of donated blood can help save the lives of several people.
9. One unit of blood can be separated into several components (red blood cells, white blood cells, plasma, platelets and cryoprecipitate).
10. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the body's organs and tissues.
11. Platelets help blood to clot and give those with leukemia and other cancers a chance to live.
12. There are about one billion red blood cells in two to three drops of blood.
13. Red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are made in the body's bone marrow.
14. Red blood cells live about 120 days in the circulatory system.
15. Donated red blood cells must be used within 42 days.
16. Donated platelets must be used within five days.
17. Plasma can be frozen and used for up to one year.
18. Healthy bone marrow makes a constant supply of red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.
19. Some anemic patients require blood transfusions to increase their iron levels.
20. People who have been in car accidents and have suffered massive blood loss may require transfusions of 50 units or more of red blood cells
21. Plasma is a pale yellow mixture of water, proteins, and salts.
22. Plasma, which is 90 percent water, constitutes 55 percent of blood volume.
23. Plasma helps maintain blood pressure, carries blood cells, nutrients, enzymes, and hormones, and supplies critical proteins for blood clotting and immunity
24. Platelets are small blood cells that help control bleeding.
25. Cancer, transplant, trauma, and open-heart surgery patients require platelet transfusions to survive.
26. White blood cells are the body's primary defense against infection.
27. There is no substitute for human blood.
28. Much of today's medical care depends on a steady supply of blood from healthy donors.
29. Volunteers provide nearly all of the nation's blood supply for transfusion.
30. Shortages of all types of blood often occur during the summer and winter holidays.
31. If all blood donors gave at least twice a year, it would greatly strengthen the nation's blood supply.
32. Anyone who is in good health is at least 17 years old, and weighs at least 50 Kgs may donate blood every 90 days.
33. Blood donation takes four steps: medical history, quick physical, donation, and snacks.
34. Giving blood will not decrease your strength.
35. Aphaeresis is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give specific blood components, such as Platelets.
36. You cannot get AIDS or any other blood disease by donating blood.
37. A heart surgery uses an average of six units of red blood cells and six units of platelets.
38. The average liver transplant patient needs 40 units of red blood cells, 30 units of platelets, 20 bags of cryoprecipitate, and 25 units of fresh frozen plasma.
39. The average bone marrow transplant requires 120 units of platelets and about 20 units of red blood cells.
40. Severe burn victims can need 20 units of platelets during their treatment.
41. Children being treated for cancer, premature infants, and children having heart surgery need blood and Platelets from donors of all types.
42. If you began donating blood at age 17 and donated every 56 days until you reached 76, you would have donated 48 gallons of blood.
43. One out of every 10 people entering a hospital needs blood.
44. The average red blood cell transfusion is 3.4 units.
45. Females receive 53% of blood transfused; males receive 47%

Just feeling content now that I am posting a good and useful one. So

-Regards,

Joachin Joseph