B- BLOOD NEEDED

[gothwalk]

There's an email starting to spread across Ireland, asking anyone who has the B- blood type to get in touch with Vincent Boyer at happyvincent@netscape.net. I've just checked with him, and the request is genuine - a friend of his has leukemia, and the Blood Transfusion Board can't find anyone with the right blood type. So if you're in Ireland - or in Europe, for that matter - and have the right blood type, please contact Vincent at the above address. If you haven't, please pick this up and spread it on, on mailing lists (where on-topic or allowed), on blogs and journals, and so on. There are 4 million people in Ireland, and many more in Europe, someone must be B-.

Comments

[branwynelf.livejournal.com]

I've passed it on to a friend in Ireland.

[iresprite.livejournal.com]

I have O-. The universal donor. I so wish I could help out. :(

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

As far as I know, leukemia requires an exact match - even O- won't cut it for this one.

[iresprite.livejournal.com]

Hm. That makes little sense to me in how blood works... I mean, I accept you at your word, but I need to go and do my homework and figure out what's up with that. As far as I know, + can take either - or +, AB can take either A or B but can't give back to A or B, and O can give to all. Hmm.

[caturah.livejournal.com]

AB can take everything. It's the universal accepter while O is the universal donor

[ocultado.livejournal.com]

I'm a bit surprised by that, and am wondering how hard they've looked. Two members of my family (including me) are B- , and neither of us have heard anything from them recently. For various reasons I can't donate at the moment, but they don't know that, and haven't mailed me.

From a recent discussion with a IBTS person, it appears that it's not as simple as just being B-, there's a load of other factors that need to match up, so that might be where the problem is coming from.

Re:

[microgirl.livejournal.com]

Shit, with your reassurance I'm now regretting getting you to delete the post :)

Why can't you give blood? If you don't mind me asking. Well, except for the anaesthetic bit.

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I had adult jaundice at the age of seven. Damn near killed me, and would almost certainly kill anyone I gave blood to... :(

Re:

[microgirl.livejournal.com]

No, they've changed that now to jaundice after the age of 13. Unless it was HepB or HepC, you can't pass it on anyway. HepA doesn't stay in the system. I had "suspected hepatitis" when I was 8. Was sick for two weeks with it. I gave blood 6 weeks ago. I'd go again if I were you. They do an interview. If you're not suitable, they'l tell you.

And remember, answering yes to any of the questions (well, a proportion of them at least) doens't necessarily mean you won't be able to donate.

blood donation

[aidian.livejournal.com]

I heart blood donation! Everyone should go at least once, even if it's just to find out whether or not they're able to donate in the future. As a Certified Registered Medical Assistant student, I feel I can confidently say that blood saves lives. You don't have to have a stupid title to realise that, either. My workplace invites the local community blood center regularly; they come every 8 weeks(the minimum time you should have between whole blood donations).

please oh please, donate blood. usually you get a nice shirt out of it, or at least some cookies. blood centers have the best snackies. :)