By Pete Narsisian
Do you ever think about the blood running through your veins and arteries that keeps you alive from moment to moment? Blood transfusions are used every day in our country to save lives during cancer treatments, after childbirth for mother, premature infants, traffic accidents, surgeries and more. U.S. hospitals use 29,000 pints of blood every day, at a rate of one pint every 2 seconds. In our modern society, we take so much for granted and blood is definitely one of those things.
The first blood transfusion was between two dogs in 1665. I’m happy to report to you that both dogs lived to bark about it. For a couple centuries, blood transfusion had slow development. But the 2 big wars in the 20th century drove improvement in blood donation processing. In 1937 the first blood Bank was opened in Chicago. War is often what’s known as a Science Driver for technology and applications. World War 1 and 2 drove the efficiency of military killing equipment, and consequently the need for blood banks. In 1941, the Red Ross and Dr. Charles Drew developed the National Blood Donor Service for the war effort. So while WW2 killed many millions, on the flip side, men like Dr. Charles Drew were improving blood banks which saved millions, then and now.
In the U.S., 4.5 million people are saved by blood transfusions every year. Penicillin was miraculously discovered in 1928 about the same time as blood transfusion was becoming modern. While it was discovered in 1928, it only became refined and put into frequent use during World war II. These two medical discoveries have saved tens of millions of lives in the past 75 years but we just don’t think much about them, or how they are so recent in time.
EMTs doctors and nurses are the warriors today on the front lines of the “War for Health”. Sounds like a Cable news headline, but it’s true. Every day is a battle against disease and death. Maybe you have another career. Maybe you don’t have the psychological makeup to work in a hospital or to be an EMT. Not everybody can do that stuff- they are callings. But one thing you can do, is donate blood. You provide the pint-sized ammunition round that EMT’s, Nurses and Surgeons use to win this war. Saving lives, one battle at a time. Without your blood they can’t win.
Motivational speaker Matthew Kelly distinguishes between Universal talents and Individual talents. The Individual are things like: painting a landscape, writing a book or strapping on a guitar. These talents are fun, meaningful and important. Only some have Individual.But everyone has the second talent called Universal which is: our ability to serve. Kelly says Universal talents are more important because one can save lives and help people and society in practical, life changing ways. One way you can do that is to donate. According to the Red Cross, the number of people donating blood has dropped 40% over the last 20 years. Will you use your “talent” by donating blood for Western Nebraska?
I hope that’s enough of a reason for you to donate to Western Nebraska, But let me throw in a little philosophy for free. In Aristotle’s book entitled “Politics”, he writes that the size of a community should be less than 100,000 people. The western Nebraska panhandle is about 100,000 people. Small size means we are in control of our business, and so we need to be self sufficient. Aristotle’s philosophy was the foundation for the principle of Subsidiarity. Basically that means that the smallest unit of government is best. When we are short of blood here in western Nebraska we have to bother/ beg the big company or the smaller company which is headquartered in Dakota. And then we have to pay for the blood. I’m not saying you shouldn’t give to them, but please consider making West Nebraska Blood center your PRIMARY blood Bank. We buy local meat and produce, we shop at local restaurants, and small businesses. Well Let’s also keep our blood donations local. Aristotle would be so proud of you, but he can’t because he died in 322 BC. Allegedly, he may have needed a blood transfusion.
You may be saying to yourself, “well it’s good for the community and it saves people’s lives, but what are the physical effects for people who donate blood?” According to a Columbia Medical Center study in 2022, regular blood donation helps control blood pressure and reduces the chance of a heart attack. Also in that same study, the research revealed that it takes 500 calories for your body to replace a pint of blood. So it’s like a mini-workout. In addition to these things, you get a mini-physical when you donate. They take your blood pressure and test your iron. When your blood is tested further at the lab, they check your cholesterol. You find out your cholesterol level when they send a letter in the mail.
Will you please give West Nebraska Blood center a call at 308-630-2477?