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Doctor Q

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
39,777
7,498
Los Angeles
mr-blood-drive-2014.jpg

The Fifth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive runs for the month of May 2014. We ask you to donate blood and platelets this month. We also ask you to register for the bone marrow registry and register as an organ donor. We welcome first-time donors and we'll be glad to explain the details, give you tips if you're nervous, and congratulate you afterwards. Remember that every donor was once a first-time donor, and every donor is a hero every time they donate.

We hope to top our Blood Drive results from our four previous Blood Drives. Your donations will help other people survive or recover from injury, surgery, or illness, cure someone of a life-threatening disease, or preserve the life of someone who suffers organ failure.


How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive:

1. Donate blood or platelets, in May if possible. Register as a bone marrow donor. Register as an organ donor.

Since we're in cyberspace we don't collect blood ourselves. Donate blood or platelets at a donation center or hospital in your area. Pick a day when you can spare an hour (for blood) or a couple of hours (for platelets) and make an appointment.

See our Blood and Platelet Donation page.

To register to be a stem cell or bone marrow donor you typically fill out a form and have your cheek swabbed. Nothing to it!

Registering as an organ donor is just as easy. Depending on your country, most of it can be done online by filling out a form. You may be asked to sign a donor card or put a sticker on your driver's license.

See our Organ, Tissue, and Bone Marrow Donation page.
2. Let us know about it
bandage-photo.jpg

The reward for donating or registering is personal satisfaction that's hard to describe. But we want to add to your reward by giving you a well-deserved pat on the back.

After you donate, we suggest that you take a selfie of your bandage or plaster, the small mark on your arm, a thumbs-up, or your post-donation snack and juice, then post it here. Or post just to tell us about your donation or registration experience. If you donated blood or platelets, tell us how many units and if you're a first-time donor. Tell us if you've just registered as a bone marrow donor or an organ donor.

We're keeping an Honor Roll to give you public thanks for your generosity, and to encourage others.
3. Spread the word
  • Not everyone can donate blood. Some people are unable or ineligible based on the often controversial eligibility rules in their country. Even if you can't donate blood, you can probably register as a marrow and organ donor. Please support our drive whether or not you can donate blood yourself.

    Let others know about the need for these donations. Convince a friend, relative, classmate, or coworker to donate blood. If you do, tell us about it. We want to recognize your actions.

  • Copy/paste this line into your forum signature:
    :) [b][color=red]I support the [thread=1730672]MacRumors Blood Drive[/thread]![/color][/b] :)​
    It'll come out like this:
    :) I support the MacRumors Blood Drive! :)

  • If you're eligible for an avatar, use our Blood Drive avatar this month:
    Blood-Drop-Avatar.gif
Notes:
  • This thread is for celebrating the participants in the MacRumors Blood Drive. If you want to discuss restrictions on gay donors or other related social issues, please post in the Blood donor eligibility thread.
  • News story about this Blood Drive: MacRumors 2014 Blood Drive
  • The MacRumors Blood Drive is planned by the MacRumors staff and volunteers. Thank you to forum member Shaun.P for the original blood drive suggestion.
 
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Doctor Q

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
39,777
7,498
Los Angeles
MR-Blood-Drive-Honor-Roll.png

The following MacRumors users have reported their blood, platelet, or plasma donation in this thread. Members who have just registered for the bone marrow registry or just have registered as an organ donor are also listed.

Congratulations and thank you for doing your part to help people in need!

May 1 or Before:
  • stridemat: blood donation
  • j-beda: blood donation
  • justinthesommer: blood donation
  • Steve.P.JobsFan: organ donor registration
  • T-Will: blood donation
  • stubeeef: blood donation
  • bighype: blood donation - first time donor!
  • tahoeroscoe: blood donation
  • phroggie: platelet donation (3 units)
  • hallux: blood donation
May 2:
  • eggplantpasta: platelet donation and organ donor registration
  • Rwennberg: blood donation
May 4:
  • iThinkDiff: blood donation
May 5:
  • rcappo: blood donation
  • ironpw: platelet donation (3 units)
May 6:
  • cjmillsnun: blood donation
May 7:
  • captain cadet: organ donor registration
May 8:
  • Timelordprime: platelet donation (2 units)
May 9:
  • Uffish Thought: platelet donation (2 units)
  • Uffish Thought's friend: blood donation
May 12:
  • Doctor Q: blood donation
May 14:
  • 7thson: platelet donation (2 units)
May 18:
  • phroggie: platelet donation (3 units)
May 19:
  • jbachandouris: blood donation
May 22:
  • Timelordprime: platelet donation (2 units)
May 24:
  • rjjkp: blood donation
  • spazzcat: blood donation
May 28:
  • 7thson: platelet donation (3 units)
May 29:
  • phroggie: platelet donation (3 units)
May 31 or After:
  • AlecEdworthy: blood donation
  • G4-power: blood donation
Totals
Blood donations: 19 units
Platelet donations: 24 units
Total units: 43
First time donors: 1
New organ donor registrations: 3
 
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j-beda

macrumors member
Jun 23, 2004
30
30
Does Wed, 16-Apr-2014 count?

I "did the deed" a few weeks past, and am not scheduled again until mid-June.

A bit of advice: before heading down to the clinic, drink a few 100mL of water. A while back I had a very slow donation supposedly because of slightly thicker than normal blood. Just normal daily variation, but having a big drink of water a bit before donating the next time made that donation among the fastest I have had.

- jb
 

justinthesommer

macrumors regular
Feb 23, 2014
190
51
United States
Gave a pint, Saved a life! Giving blood is a great thing. I do it as often as possible. I figure one day I may need it so I hope someone donates for me, like I donate for others.
 

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Steve.P.JobsFan

macrumors 65816
Jan 27, 2010
1,010
613
Columbus
Went to the BMV today - and had my ID reissued as one marked as an organ donor.

I may not be able to donate blood (yet) because of my age, but this is the best I can do. :)
 

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Doctor Q

Administrator
Original poster
Staff member
Sep 19, 2002
39,777
7,498
Los Angeles
stridemat, j-beda, justinthesommer, and Steve.P.JobsFan have helped us kick off this year's drive in style. Congratulations!
 

T-Will

macrumors 65816
Sep 8, 2008
1,042
433
Nice timing, just donated blood yesterday! They have the drive every 8 weeks at my work, so it makes it super easy to donate a little time and sit there and read Macrumors for a few minutes while the blood drains out. :)

attachment.php

(photo from my last donation)
 

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stubeeef

macrumors 68030
Aug 10, 2004
2,708
3
Gave last month and can't give again till June 14th...sorry.
But I am a bone marrow registered donor (haven't been called).

Listen, they get most of what they need from blood and donors don't typically have any painful procedure-and if you're saving a life who gives a crap if its painful-BUT NOW ITS NOT.

Maybe dates will line up next year.
 

bighype

macrumors regular
May 1, 2014
136
466
I donated blood today for the first time. Wanted to do it for a very long time and I had a day off today so I went in. I also registered here (been lurking for years). All the best.
 

phroggie

macrumors newbie
Feb 22, 2007
18
2
What's the apheresis equivelent of a "blue moon"? Since today is the first of May and the alternate Thursday I donate at the Warner Center American Red Cross Donor Center (home of the friendliest blood-draining crew in America!) , I'm set up to get in three donations this month.

I'm also in the bone marrow registry and actually matched to someone. And of course there's a donor dot on my license.
 

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eggplantpasta

macrumors newbie
May 1, 2014
2
4
Donation on Wednesday

A photo of my regular platelets donation from Wednesday. Does that count? I get to do another one in a month.

I also registered for organ donation. It was already on my driver's licence but I registered on the national registry too.

This is a cool idea. Thanks for organising it.

blood.jpg
 

AlecEdworthy

macrumors 6502
May 1, 2007
415
129
Leicestershire, UK
I donate as frequently as I'm allowed (currently every 12 weeks for whole blood donations from males in the UK) and my next donation will be on 5 June 2014. To everyone who is about to donate - WELL DONE - to those who are thinking about it - GET ON WITH IT :)

A
 

hallux

macrumors 68040
Apr 25, 2012
3,437
1,005
I donated Wed. April 30. Just snapped a pic of my healing puncture and the remnant marker line from locating the source..

The woman that poked me to start the flow was kind enough to place the tape near my wrist on my watch, so she wouldn't draw more blood when removing it from my hairy arm...
 

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haggisman

macrumors newbie
Jan 19, 2011
10
0
Relative Newbie

At my wife's behest, I started donating last August, I'm now scheduled for number 5 in a couple of weeks. It couldn't be easier, and you will get the most wonderful feeling that you've done something that is actually beneficial to your fellow humans! The Canadian Blood Services staff who coordinate clinics here (Vancouver Island in BC) are all friendly, very professional and serve up awesome juice, cookies and tea at the end :)

I have a relatively rare blood type (B-), accounting for just over 1% of the population, so I feel it's quite important that I go as often as possible. You WILL be helping save someones life, and you will feel wonderful about it.

Cheers!

Steve
 
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rcappo

macrumors 6502
Apr 14, 2010
309
76
#20 for me.

I am representing the A-'s out there. Only 1 in 16 people are A- and can only receive A- and O- blood. It is also the easiest 640 calories you can burn. Much easier than riding my bike downtown.

I didn't realize that my blood matches the color of the shirt I wore today when I picked it out. :)
 

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cjmillsnun

macrumors 68020
Aug 28, 2009
2,399
48
As promised, the obligatory arm shot..

Donation 32 given at NHS Blood and Transplant donor session, Petersfield, UK.

EDIT: can you update the date on the honour roll. It's the 6th here...
 

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