Please give blood

johnmcsorley

Fellow Cyclists !

Just gave blood for the second time today and it's an amazing feeling that the contribution I just gave may go onto save someone's life. A new born, a relative or even you might need it back some day!

A shocking statistic is that 94% of the population rely on the 6% that give blood.

Please go here now -> http://www.blood.co.uk/giving-blood/where-can-i-go/

With the amount of accidents and scraps us cyclists get ourselves into, you just never know when you or a loved one or friend my need your donation!

charliew87

Twice in a day! That is impressive.

I try to do it twice a year. Takes 10 minutes, doesn't hurt and they give you biscuits.

keef66

I'm one of the 6%

IanREmery

I'm a platelet doner, so god know's how small that percentage is...

I echo the sentiments though, it really is that quick and easy to do.

Grill

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

rando

Just donated my pint of blood. Enjoyed the Club Mint biscuit afterwards. Not had one of them in years !

nick1972

I give blood regularly. It is a good feeling and you never now when you or your family may be the one in need...

gloomyandy

Regular blood donor for about 30 years, had the test for platelet donation but didn't have the right combination of body weight and platelet count (I'm not very big), that they need to be able to get a good donation in the time available. Always makes me feel like I've done at least a little bit for others when I donate.

Stevie_gee

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

marylogic

Perhaps we should make regular blood donation a prerequisite for pros returning to racing after a doping ban?

DavidJB

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Racers spend a large portion of their life preparing for races all the effort to be ruined by giving some blood...Maybe he'll be inclined to give blood once he's finished racing...maybe not but you shouldn't guilt trip him for it.

marylogic

DavidJB wrote:

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Racers spend a large portion of their life preparing for races all the effort to be ruined by giving some blood...Maybe he'll be inclined to give blood once he's finished racing...maybe not but you shouldn't guilt trip him for it.

+1

People do their bit in lots of different ways, the fact that he gives blood once a year is laudable.
Just cycling and keeping healthy takes some of the strain off the NHS.

Stevie_gee

DavidJB wrote:

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Racers spend a large portion of their life preparing for races all the effort to be ruined by giving some blood...Maybe he'll be inclined to give blood once he's finished racing...maybe not but you shouldn't guilt trip him for it.

I understand that some racers are absolutely passionate about it, I've never noticed a massive drop in performance. Maybe i dont take my racing "seriously enough".

I've always wondered about pros blood doping though, they go without that pint of blood for just as long as us, and they wouldnt do it if it made them slower even in the short term

IanREmery

Stevie_gee wrote:

DavidJB wrote:

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Racers spend a large portion of their life preparing for races all the effort to be ruined by giving some blood...Maybe he'll be inclined to give blood once he's finished racing...maybe not but you shouldn't guilt trip him for it.

I understand that some racers are absolutely passionate about it, I've never noticed a massive drop in performance. Maybe i dont take my racing "seriously enough".

I've always wondered about pros blood doping though, they go without that pint of blood for just as long as us, and they wouldnt do it if it made them slower even in the short term

I notice the drop in performance after donating platelets, even though you get the blood back (long process, don't even ask!).

Twice this year I've donated on the Monday, then 'corpsed out' in the gym on the Wednesday doing my standard 5K run I kept working on during the winter months.

eskay

When I used to race I used to notice a big drop off in my performance after giving blood. It was not until I was talking to a doctor on a club run that I realised that the two were linked. I stopped giving blood during the racing season.

I have not raced for ages but do give blood, although I have not be able to recently becuase of a business visit to India. I think I can give again now so will check it out, thanks for the reminder!

Grill

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Whether I give blood or not is my decision, not yours or anyone else's. They're also short on kidneys, how about you donate yours?

I was willing to give blood when I lived in the US, but wasn't allowed as I'd spent more than 2 years outside of the US before 1985 (silly rule). Since then I've rarely been able to give blood due to my tattoos. I've been willing in the past, but they don't seem to want any of this O+ I carry around.

These days I give when it's convenient for me, as changing my lifestyle to accommodate the blood banks is absolutely ludicrous.

Pross

I used to give regularly from straight after my 18th birthday but struggle now as my local service limits drop in donations and you have to make an appointment. Given that there is about a half hour at the end of their day that is open to me when I get back from work and that is the time everyone wants. I make it whenever I can as my daughter had loads of blood and platelet transfusions and I feel I owe it to replace them but it's frustrating that it has been so difficult to get to a session. I'm also on the bone marrow list and have donated marrow and lymphocytes through that - it's a great feeling to know you may have saved someone's life so I'd add to the OP an appeal for you to also get on the bone marrow register.

ooermissus

Travel to anywhere malarial and they won't want your blood either.

wac100

I gave another donation last Thursday the 4th April at Doncaster Racecourse, which up to date is my 14th or 15th time. It was one of those things that I had always been meaning to do, but having seen my wife go through surgery a few years ago and needing a blood transfusion, it gave me the push I needed. I'm always trying to encourage my friends and fellow cyclists in the club, but to no avail, but everytime I donate I am proud to be one of the small percentage of people that have found the time to do so.

lef

Stevie_gee wrote:

DavidJB wrote:

Stevie_gee wrote:

Grill wrote:

I do occasionally, the problem I have is that it hits my performance pretty hard so I can only give when I have no events for 3 weeks after (which only happens about once a year).

My heart bleeds (no pun intended). However, some people have real problems.

Racers spend a large portion of their life preparing for races all the effort to be ruined by giving some blood...Maybe he'll be inclined to give blood once he's finished racing...maybe not but you shouldn't guilt trip him for it.

I understand that some racers are absolutely passionate about it, I've never noticed a massive drop in performance. Maybe i dont take my racing "seriously enough".

I've always wondered about pros blood doping though, they go without that pint of blood for just as long as us, and they wouldnt do it if it made them slower even in the short term

I believe they accepted the drop in performance during training or minor races due to the gains in a race when that blood is put back in.

Grill

lef wrote:

I believe they accepted the drop in performance during training or minor races due to the gains in a race when that blood is put back in.

andy_wrx

I'm giving my 39th or 40th (forget which...) donation a week next Wednesday.

That evening is the second club 10 of the year, I've volunteered to marshal rather than race that night.

Double altruism - but both are good things to do

roger_merriman

I give Blood can't say I've noticed much drop off in performance, at least compared to being tired etc any how. I work long hours and none stop due to nature of Job.

due to give blood tomorrow which i imagine I'll drop in to do, assuming my Iron count is ok as it's often border line.