Give Life…

I donated blood yesterday at university, and I don’t think I can remember the last time I was so scared.

The Help Club booth to donate blood has been on campus for three days, and every time I left the Dimensions office I passed by it. And each and every time I felt guilty…it’s not like I don’t have blood to spare, and my excuse of not having time to go visit the hospital to donate blood didn’t wash.

So I gritted my teeth and went to fill in an application, but by the time I filled it in it was time for class so I told them I’d be back later. Obviously assuming I’d chickened out, the nurse simply told me “I’ll wait for you.”

All through a 70 minute screening of Ayatollah Khonemi’s reign in history class, I debated with myself…should I go? But what if it hurt? Were the needles clean What if I got infected?? Eventually I made up my mind.

I could donate money to the hospital, but anyone can do that, and there are some things money can’t buy. What if my blood could help save someone who could not get access to blood or enough money to buy it? The nurse in the booth told me that less than 50 AUCians had donated blood although they’d been there for three days.

So I went, lied down and started reading “I loved you for your voice,” trying not to look at the needle as it went into my arm.

Five minutes later and I was done.

As I got up I gathered the courage to look down. Seeing a bag full of my blood made me feel queasy, but also made me feel triumphant. Here was something I did that will make a difference in someone’s life, but people don’t do because they are scared, worried or simply ignorant.
I’m here to tell you that the girl who used to cry buckets as a child when she scraped her knee has lived through the experience to tell you all…donate if you can; your blood is one of the most precious gifts you have to give.