While blood donations traditionally see a “small spike” around World Blood Donor Day, staff at the hospital have reiterated the need for consistent donors.

Bermuda Hospitals Board consultant haematologist Eyitayo Fakunle is particularly hoping to attract more donors between the ages of 18 and 25 — an age group which has proven difficult to retain in the past.

According to Lucy Correia, nurse phlebotomist at the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre, more new donors have called and some old ones have returned since June 14.

But such “small spikes” happen every year as a result of the campaign surrounding World Blood Donor Day, she said.

With donors often retiring throughout the year, leaving the island or being deferred for various reasons, she stressed that more consistent donations “would really help us”.

Ms Correia added that Bermuda has just under 1,000 active blood donors, which makes up about 2 per cent of the population. Globally, about 6 per cent of the populations donate.

“We emphasise repeat donations,” Dr Fakunle said, adding that more donors between the ages of 18 and 25 are needed.

He noted that the World Health Organisation recommends that 38 per cent of blood donations should be from this age group. However, only 4 per cent of donations in Bermuda are from those under 25.

“Once these young blood donors between the ages of 18 and 25 years understand the need to save lives by blood donation, they become very dedicated and donate blood repeatedly for a longer period of time to maintain a steady blood supply in the country,” he said.

But Dr Fakunle said it was often difficult to establish a good repertoire with donors in this age group as many of them leave the island or simply don’t come back to donate.

Ms Correia explained that donating blood is a quick process, as Royal Gazette reporter Rajan Simons discovered, and takes about 30 to 45 minutes.

After arriving at the centre, donors are asked to read educational material and fill out a questionnaire and consent form every time they donate.

The questions cover criteria including medical history, travel and lifestyle.

“We ask everyone to be really honest,” Ms Correia said. “We’re not judging anyone. We are trying to make sure we have a really safe blood supply.”

The nurse will then go over the answers before taking the donor’s blood pressure, pulse and temperature. Haemoglobin levels are also checked.

“If everything is fine, we will take you to the donation room and collect 450 millilitres of blood, which is considered a pint or a unit of blood,” Ms Correia said. “It takes about five to 10 minutes to actually bleed. It’s not that long at all.”

Donors are made comfortable in one of five chairs. The nurse identifies a suitable vein, which is noted down for future use, before cleaning the area and inserting the needle.

Several test tubes are filled before 450ml of blood are collected in the main blood bag.

“Every single time you come to donate, we test your blood,” Ms Correia explained, adding that it is screened for infectious diseases and the blood group is determined. The needle is then removed and the area is dressed in a bandage before the donors are treated to juice and cookies.

Before being asked to wait in the refreshment room for about ten minutes, donors are given guidelines advising them to refrain from strenuous exercise, avoid excessive time in the sun or heat, drink plenty of fluids and eat a healthy meal, avoid alcohol for the day and to refrain from scuba diving for 24 hours.

Advice is also given to donors about what to do if they feel faint although Ms Correia stressed that this rarely happens. The Blood Donor Centre is located on the first floor of King Edward VII Memorial Hospital’s general wing.

Clinics are held from 8.30am to 2.30pm Monday to Thursday and 8.30am to 1pm on Fridays.

First-time donors who fulfil the eligibility criteria are asked to give the blood donor team a call in advance.

• For more information, call 236-5067, e-mail blood.donor@bhb.bm or visit www.bermudahospitals.bm/bhb/donor/donate-blood.asp

Small sacrifice to potentially save a life

Rajan Simons

After donating blood yesterday, I was asked one question: “How do you feel?”

What was my answer? “I feel like I did something good today”. That was the honest truth.

Prior to that, my head was filled with misconceptions about the blood donation process. Mostly that it will hurt, I will feel sick afterwards, and the main reason people decide not to go through with it — the needle is far too big.

As I approached the Bermuda Blood Donor Centre in the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, sat down, read the criteria and filled out the form, I thought about the lives I could possibly save by being a consistent donor and the effect I could have just by going through this experience and sharing it with the public.

Lucy Correia, nurse phlebotomist at the Centre, was there to guide me through it, first taking my blood pressure, checking my temperature and pricking my finger for a haemoglobin test before the main event. The overall atmosphere was extremely welcoming and more importantly, insightful.

I was made aware of the low supply of blood Bermuda has, and the fact that the hospital relies solely on donations from volunteers to keep that supply running. Without it, we are all at risk of losing our loved ones: our parents, siblings, grandparents, friends. This alone should fuel every and anyone who is eligible to do so. Ms Correia then took me into a room filled with several beds where the “scary part” happens. For some reason, at that very moment all those misconceptions withered away.

The whole process from beginning to end lasted for about 30 painless minutes — five minutes and 12 seconds of which filled a 450 millilitre blood bag.

Kimberley Murray, 25, was also donating blood for the first time after being convinced by a friend who works at the Centre.

“It was OK,” she said. “At first I was nervous, especially when I saw the needle but it wasn’t bad. Once the needle was in, you don’t feel anything.”

She was also surprised by how fast it was even though she was not expecting to give as much blood as she did and said that she would consider doing it again — just like I would.

At the end of the process we were given refreshments and advised by the staff to wait ten minutes before getting back on our feet.

In this time I reflected on my 22 years and the amount of people I know that have fell victim to our roads, violence and other unfortunate or accidental events.

I thought that maybe one trip to the Blood Donor Centre every two months could change the outcome for someone.

All it took was five minutes and 12 seconds of my day to potentially save a life.