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MacRumors 2023 Blood Drive

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MacRumors is pleased to announce our Fourteenth Annual MacRumors Blood Drive, throughout the month of May 2023. Let's save lives together by encouraging donations of blood, platelets, and plasma. While most blood drives are specific to a geographic location, our blood drive is online and worldwide. Anyone can participate.

blood_drive_2023.jpg

Over the past 13 years, MacRumors Blood Drives have recorded donations of 1193 units units of blood, platelets, and plasma, cheered for donors, and celebrated new signups for the organ donor and bone marrow registries. We've heard from first-time donors, from regular donors, and from those whose lives were saved by the donations of strangers.

This year's featured blood donor is user fwmireault, a regular blood donor and registered organ donor who last year participated in the MacRumors Blood Drive for the first time, and joined the bone marrow registry as well.

featured-donor_2023.jpg

How to participate in the MacRumors Blood Drive

  1. If you are an eligible donor, schedule a blood, platelet, or plasma donation (see FAQ) at any donation center near you. Post in the MacRumors 2023 Blood Drive! thread to tell us about it. Also post if you register as an organ donor or register for the bone marrow registry (see FAQ). We'll add all donors and registrants to our Honor Roll.
  2. If you aren't eligible to donate, please encourage someone else to make a donation, and let us know. If they donate, you'll both be added to our Honor Roll.
  3. Share our message with friends, relatives, and followers. Thank the people who post in the MacRumors 2023 Blood Drive! thread.
After the MacRumors Blood Drive ends on May 31, record your future blood, platelet, and plasma donations on our Team MacRumors page (see instructions). We'll tally your donations and count them for the MacRumors 2024 Blood Drive next May.

Article Link: MacRumors 2023 Blood Drive
 
Article Link
https://www.macrumors.com/2023/05/01/macrumors-2023-blood-drive/
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Guys, make sure you read the article and follow the procedure. Last year I sent off a whole gallon of my blood to their office and had the police called on me. Apparently, they don't want your blood themselves. They just want to know that you gave blood.
 
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I applaud everyone who can donate. I don't know if I'll ever be able to donate again, due to the medication I'm on for Crohn's Disease. But in the 16 years I was able to donate, I did at nearly every opportunity possible, likely somewhere near 5 gallons. And having needed a transfusion to survive the worst of my Crohn's, I am grateful for everyone who donates.
 
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bg1419 said:
US laws governing blood donation insofar as who is allowed to donate blood are archaic and homophobic, specifically in that they refuse donations from sexually active men who are attracted to men (read: practically all gay men).

Do not donate blood and legitimize this system. Instead, write to your legislators.
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While I agree with you, shouldn't we still donate too to help those who need blood?
 
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TruthWatcher412 said:
While I agree with you, shouldn't we still donate too to help those who need blood?
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Nah I don’t think so. If people stop donating altogether and put a little more pressure on the system, more people will push for change. Wait til some crusty old homophobic senator needs a blood transfusion and the banks are empty, then see how quickly the laws change.
 
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Brief FYI on types of blood donations and what each of the components is used for:
www.redcrossblood.org

Types of Blood Donations

Giving the \"right\" type of donation - based on your blood type and patient needs - helps ensure the best use of your valuable contribution. Here are some things to consider when determining how you can have the most impact.
www.redcrossblood.org www.redcrossblood.org
And for source plasma:

What is Plasma? - Donating Plasma

www.donatingplasma.org www.donatingplasma.org
 
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bg1419 said:
US laws governing blood donation insofar as who is allowed to donate blood are archaic and homophobic, specifically in that they refuse donations from sexually active men who are attracted to men (read: practically all gay men).
Click to expand...

itbrennan said:
sorry, gay!
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jonblatho said:
As usual, regrettable that my type O-negative blood is too gay for the FDA's liking.
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I encourage you to read about the FDA's draft recommendations for changing these policies.
 
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Oh dang, I did my donation last week :p

FYI, besides being morally good, donating blood is good for your health. It pushes your body to replenish with clean, fresh blood, is good for the whole cardiovascular system. And a great excuse to treat yourself to a huge rare steak afterward.

One thing I wish I had known before I picked up this… er, hobby… there are different kinds of donations: whole blood, double-red-cell, platelets, plasma. They take different amounts of time, I did whole blood last week and was out in under ten minutes. I also did a platelets donation a few months ago and it took three entire hours (and I had to spend it all watching a screen to make sure I was pumping a squeezeball at the right pace). So be sure to give them a clear idea of how long you mind being hooked up for.
 
(also, the pre-donation questionnaire is low-key hilarious. "Are you gay" no. "Are you sure?" no. I mean yes. "When is the last time you had gay sex?" Never. "When was the last time you had gay sex with a prostitute?" Never. "When was the last time you exchanged needles with a gay prostitute?" Never. "Did you have gay sex in England, Scotland or Wales between the years of 1982 and 1991?" No. "Does you wife know about your gay prostitute habit?" No. "gotcha")
 
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My wife was hit with Leukemia (ALL) after surgery and radiation for breast cancer. That needed 18 months of Chemo, including multiple times in the hospital for a transfusion. Transfusions kept her alive and last month we celebrated our 54th Wedding Anniversary. Donating is that important for cancer patients, accident victims, major surgery patients, etc,

I've donated over the years and have slowed down after 5 cancer surgeries. I'll see if my Oncologist approves more donations before the month is out.

I'd encourage everyone to look into donating. IIRC you can start at 18, when your family is in the "new group" to potentially need blood.
 
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FYI, if you are referring to source plasma donations, those are typically performed at plasma centers and the intent indeed is to fractionate that source plasma to turn into various drugs and therapies. Donors at plasma centers are typically compensated at the time of each donation. And those donors can usually donate up to 2 times a week.

Other blood components (including fresh frozen plasma) are for the most part targeted to treat patients with various diseases, transfusions, trauma, etc.
 
I'll be donating platelets this Saturday morning, which I've been doing every other week for many years. I'm always glad to see that MacRumors is promoting this life saving habit.
 
How much are they paying me per unit of my blood?

How much will it be billed to insurance for when it’s used?
 
bg1419 said:
Nah I don’t think so. If people stop donating altogether and put a little more pressure on the system, more people will push for change. Wait til some crusty old homophobic senator needs a blood transfusion and the banks are empty, then see how quickly the laws change.
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Yeah, no. Not going to stop donating when it still does good. You can donate AND write your legislator. I have been donating for years and do I think they should change who can donate? Absolutely! But I'm not going to spite people who have no control over the system just to try and "stick it to the man" like you think it would do.
 
Vref said:
How much are they paying me per unit of my blood?

How much will it be billed to insurance for when it’s used?
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Wow, so petty.

Who pays for your blood to be drawn, processed, tested and stored until needed? You think all that happens for free?
 
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