FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Doctors rely on special training every day to save lives and help patients heal, however, they cannot do their jobs without blood donations from people, and right now more than ever there is a critical blood shortage here in the Central Valley.
The President and CEO of the Central California Blood Center Christopher Staub said the process for donating blood can be intimidating for first-timers but it is definitely worth it if it means saving someone’s life.
“It just kind of literally feels like a pinch, I think, because I donate regularly and that’s how I would describe it,” said Staub. “It involves coming in, registering, we have a computer system that is actually considered a medical device by the FDA.”
After the initial registration, donors then undergo a private screening to make sure they are eligible to donate.
“Most healthy people are eligible to donate,” said Staub. “There are some exclusions, but there are not that really not that many.”
The entire donation process takes about 10 minutes.
“We have a pint of blood from them and then they get bandaged up and hold their arm up for a little while,” said Staub. “And then they go have some cookies and juice and they can go home in a little while.”
Dr. Jordan Lilienstein said while artificial nutrition, antibiotics, and oxygen can be produced in a lab, blood cannot.
“You really are reliant on other people to supply it,” said Lilienstein. “So really, you’re relying on other people’s altruism to help out other people.”
Lilienstein said during times of trauma, multiple units of blood are needed to help emergency caretakers save lives.
One of the many reasons why donating blood is extremely important.
