MacRumors 2022 Blood Drive!

[Doctor Q]

The Thirteenth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive runs for the month of May 2022. If you are eligible, we ask you to donate blood, platelets, or plasma this month. Your donation will help other people survive or recover from injury, surgery, or illness (see the Blood and Platelet Donation FAQ).

We also ask that you register as an organ donor and register for the bone marrow registry, if you haven't already. You might preserve the life of someone who suffers organ failure, or cure someone of a life-threatening disease like leukemia (see Organ, Tissue, and Bone Marrow Donation FAQ).

Let's save some lives!


A. Participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive during the month of May

1. Donate blood, platelets, or plasma, register as an organ donor, or register as a bone marrow donor

Donate at any donation center in your area. Pick a day when you can spare an hour or two, and make an appointment. Donation centers take precautions to protect you from COVID-19.

Registering as an organ donor is easy. Depending on your country, you may be able to register online by filling out a form. You may be asked to sign a donor card or put a sticker on your driver's license. To register to be a stem cell or bone marrow donor, you typically fill out a form and have your cheek swabbed.

Not everyone is eligible to donate blood. There are restrictions on age, weight, donation frequency, health conditions, and a deferral for gay donors in many countries, including the U.S, but no longer in Canada as of September 30, 2022 (see the Blood donor eligibility discussion thread).

If you are ineligible or deferred, please support our drive by convincing someone you know to donate, and you'll both earn a spot on the Honor Roll.

2. Let us know

The reward for donating or registering is personal satisfaction from helping others. But we want to add to your reward by giving you a well-deserved pat on the back.

After you donate or register, post in this thread and tell us about it. For blood, platelet, and plasma donations, tell us how many units. You can even post a photo of your arm bandage or plaster.

Check out our Honor Roll, where we give you public thanks for your generosity.​

3. Spread the word - #MacRumorsBloodDrive

Let others know about the need for these donations. Share with your followers. Encourage friends, relatives, classmates, and coworkers to donate.

If you or someone in your family has received a blood transfusion, share your story.

And please thank the donors who post here.​

B. Participate from June 2022 to April 2023

Continue donating blood, platelets, or plasma until our next MacRumors Blood Drive in May 2023. Each time you donate, register your donation on our Team MacRumors page:

1. Go to the Team MacRumors 2023-2023 page. Bookmark it for the next time.
2. Click PLEDGE TO GIVE BLOOD.
3. Fill in your MacRumors username as your first name and @ macrumors as your last name.
4. In the Comments field, tell us what type of donation and how many units, e.g., 1 unit of whole blood, 2 units of platelets, etc.
5. The email address and zip code fields are required, but MacRumors won't use that information.

We'll tally your donations from June to April and count them toward the MacRumors Blood Drive and its Honor Roll next May!


C. Two other ways to support the MacRumors Blood Drive

1. Edit your forum signature and paste in this line:
   
   
   :) [B][COLOR=red]I support the [thread=2343455]MacRumors Blood Drive[/thread]![/COLOR][/B] :)​
   
   
2. Download this image, then use it to set your avatar:
   
   

 

[Doctor Q]

The following MacRumors users have reported their blood, platelet, or plasma donations, either posting in this thread or reporting their donations on last year's Team MacRumors Page.

Members who have just registered for the bone marrow registry or have just registered as an organ donor will also be listed.

This post is updated as donations are reported.

Please help us congratulate and thank these forum members for doing their part to help people in need!

• walterhpdx: 2 blood donations (2 units each)
  
  
• daryl1965: blood donation
  
  
• dWolfers: platelet donation
  
  
• ShawnyRHarvey: blood donation
  
  
• thejoshuabradshaw: blood donation
  
  
• Doctor Q: 4 blood donations
  
  
• Brentley3: 2 blood donations
  
  
• Timelordprime: 15 platelet donations (2 units each), 7 with plasma donations
  
  
• hallux: 5 blood donations
  
  
• Weaselboy: 2 platelet donations (2 units each), both with plasma donations
  
  
• G4-power: 2 blood donations
  
  
• Linda: 6 platelet donations (3 units each)
  
  
• PJM83: blood donation
  
  
• chengengaun: blood donation
  
  
• headlessmike: blood donation - first-time donor!
  
  
• TheYayAreaLiving 🎗: platelet donation (2 units)
  
  
• fwmireault: blood donation, already a registered organ donor, recently registered for the bone marrow registry
  
  
• Bazooka-joe: 4 blood donations
  
  
• jbachandouris: 6 blood donations
  
  
• SteveClark1000: platelet donation (3 units)
  
  
• Complex757: blood donation
  
  
• BugeyeSTI: 2 blood donations
  
  
• Dominic Colella: blood donation
  
  
• chaleyer: blood donation
  
  
• jPremium1: 2 blood donations
  
  
• KurtMann: plasma donation
  
  
• mtdkellie: blood donation
  
  
• scubachap: platelet donation (2 units)
  
  
• Timelordprime: platelet donation (2 units) with plasma donation
  
  
• Linda: platelet donation (3 units)
  
  
• rcappo: blood donation
  
  
• barbu: blood donation
  
  
• Doctor Q: blood donation
  
  
• headlessmike: blood donation
  
  
• phroggie: 2 platelet donation (3 units each)
  
  
• FloatingBones: 6 blood donations
  
  
• Timelordprime: platelet donation (2 units) with plasma donation
  
  
• Complex757: 3 blood donations

Totals

Blood donations: 55 units​

Platelet donations: 70 units​

Plasma donations: 12 units​

Bone marrow registrations: 1​

Organ donor registrations: 1​

Total units: 137 units​

Congratulations to every donor!

 

[fwmireault]

So I had a blood donation already scheduled for today. It’s my 6th blood donation, but first time that I participate at the MR blood drive.

I am already an organ donor and registered on the bone marrow donation register since a few months.

Go give blood if you can, it’s a small gesture that makes a difference.

Located in Quebec, Canada

 

[Bazooka-joe]

I’m in the UK and I donate every three months. Nearly reached 50 times now. Bronze badge for 10 donations, silver badge for 25 donations and a gold badge for 50 donations. I’m booked in to do my 47th donation so almost reached 50. The nice thing is that when my blood is donated to hospital, I receive a text message saying which hospital it’s gone to

My donations since June 20 21 have been
19th July 2021
21st October 2021
19th January 2022
19th April 2022

 

[jbachandouris]

Attached is my list of donations from the Red Cross App.

 

[scubachap]

Well done everyone and I'll add two bags of platelets (2 units) to the MacRumors drive!

If you're in the UK and you're A / AB the blood donation service is always keen to asses you for donating platelets.

 

[Timelordprime]

CBS Donation 415
Did another platelet and plasma combo donation this morning before heading off to work.
2 units platelets
1 unit plasma

​

 

[scubachap]

Ha, That display looks familiar .. looks like you'renearly there and its sucking away, bit jealous as mine always seems to take at least 70 mins! A question - is it normal for you to donate plasma as well as platelets in the US?

 

[Doctor Q]

We've passed 100 total units.

Congratulations to our latest donors: @SteveClark1000, Dominic Colella, @chaleyer, @Premium1, @mtdkellie, @scubachap, @Timelordprime, and Linda!

 

[Timelordprime]

Ha, That display looks familiar .. looks like you'renearly there and its sucking away, bit jealous as mine always seems to take at least 70 mins! A question - is it normal for you to donate plasma as well as platelets in the US?

In Canada, yes, two unit platelets and one unit of plasma, depending on platelet counts.

 

[scubachap]

In Canada, yes, two unit platelets and one unit of plasma, depending on platelet counts.

Apologies! Canada... Perhaps here (UK) they get most of their plasma from whole blood.

 

[Timelordprime]

Apologies! Canada... Perhaps here (UK) they get most of their plasma from whole blood.

No problem. The UK, like Canada, gets most of its plasma from plasma specific donors. NHS guidelines in the UK means plasma donors can donate every two weeks. In Canada, Plasma-only donors can donate every week. https://www.blood.co.uk/plasma/how-to-donate-plasma/

 

[barbu]

I gave up a unit of my shiny O-negative on Friday, my 41st donation.

 

[Doctor Q]

My contribution to the cause, a blood donation. I'm glad that it helps people, but I'm really just after the free cookie and juice!

 

[headlessmike]

I donated my second unit of blood this week. I visit my local blood-bank during business hours when there's hardly anyone there and it's a really relaxing experience to just slow down for a few minutes.

 

[Doctor Q]

Added to the Honor Roll: @Complex757, @BugeyeSTI, @rcappo, @phroggie, @barbu, @Doctor Q, @headlessmike

Congratulations all!

 

[FloatingBones]

In the last 12 month period, I donated on 4/11/2022 2/11/2022 12/17/2021 10/19/2021 8/13/2021 6/14/2021. All were 1 unit of whole blood.

 

[Timelordprime]

416th donation on Friday, 27 May 2022. Two units of platelets and one unit of plasma.

 

[Doctor Q]

Today is the last day of this year's Blood Drive, and it's no surprise that regular donors @FloatingBones and @Timelordprime are showing their generosity once again.

 

[hallux]

I was supposed to donate today but they had to cancel due to lack of staffing. This is my second attempt in a row that has been canceled, and both were at the local donation center!.

 

[Doctor Q]

Results

Results of the MacRumors 2022 Blood Drive, including top donor statistics, are now posted in the Blood Drive news thread. Congratulations to this year's participants.

Keep donating

Blood and platelet donations are needed throughout the year, so keep up the good work, donors!

Remember that you can record your donations on the Team MacRumors page between now and April 2023. All donations you record there will count for next year's MacRumors Blood Drive.

 

[headlessmike]

In the last 12 month period, I donated on 4/11/2022 2/11/2022 12/17/2021 10/19/2021 8/13/2021 6/14/2021. All were 1 unit of whole blood.

That’s pretty intense. Where I live, blood donors are not allowed to donate more than 4 times per year (3 times for women), with a minimum of 12 weeks between donations.

 

[hallux]

Finally, after several month of false-starts (cancelled appointments, missed "stick" causing a problem with flow starting) I got my next donation in yesterday. My next is scheduled already.

 

[chengengaun]

Thankful for another uneventful donation - but my Hb level was rather low so probably an excuse to indulge in a few more steaks than usual…

 

[FloatingBones]

Thankful for another uneventful donation - but my Hb level was rather low so probably an excuse to indulge in a few more steaks than usual…

Try raising your Vitamin D supplementation to 5000IU/day starting now through your next donation. Higher levels of Vitamin D will have the liver be more efficient in recycling iron from expiring red blood cells. There's less liver inflammation -- Vitamin D is a steroid (i.e., an anti-inflammatory agent). The magic level of serum Vitamin D to seek is 50 ng/mL, which is thoroughly discussed in the PubMed science paper COVID-19 Mortality Risk Correlates Inversely with Vitamin D3 Status, and a Mortality Rate Close to Zero Could Theoretically Be Achieved at 50 ng/mL 25(OH)D3: Results of a Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. This paper is discussed in a wonderful MedCram YouTube video. While the paper and the video are talking about COVID-19, the real message is about Vitamin D and overall health. Specifically, the paper notes that the 5000IU/day level is imminently safe.

Raising hemoglobin levels through more iron in the diet or iron supplementation may or may not be effective. IIRC, I believe that some "bad" bacteria can take advantage of more abundant iron in our gut. This allows one to use the body's iron more efficiently -- an end run around the issues of associated with raising iron intake. Vitamin D supplementation is safe and inexpensive. IMHO, I think it's worth a try.