2% Of Bermuda’s Population Donate Blood
Speaking on World Blood Donor Day last week, Health Minister Patricia Gordon Pamplin said that currently only about 2% of Bermuda’s population donate blood.
“The World Health Organization indicates that typically in developed countries about 6% of the population donates. Globally 38% of donors are under the age of 25. But here in Bermuda, less than 4% of our donors are under 25,” said the Minister.
“We are truly grateful for our existing donors – they are faithful and dedicated – but we need to expand our donor base to maintain sustainability and reduce the pressure on those who do donate. We currently have about 1,100 donors but would really like to see that number increase to at least 2,000.
L-R: Nicole and Calvin Michael Steede with son Calvin Steed [blood donor recipient], BHB CEO Venetta Symonds, Adrian Warner [blood donor recipient], Minister Gordon Pamplin, Betsie Blood Drop, and Dr Eyitayo Fakunle:
“Blood supplies in Bermuda are solely dependent upon people who choose to donate. Donated blood is primarily used for people who undergo surgery or who need blood for therapeutic reasons, such as cancer patients on chemotherapy or people with sickle cell anaemia.
“Contrary to popular belief, only a small percentage of supplies go to trauma victims, such as road traffic accidents or victims of violence,” continued Minister Gordon-Pamplin.
“Healthy blood is vital to us all, and the average adult has about 10 pints of blood circulating around their body. When you donate blood, just one pint is taken, and that volume can be easily replenished within 24 hours. The entire process of donation takes about 30 minutes and is relatively painless. Nurses and staff at the hospital are extremely attentive and pleasant, making the process simple and easy.
“About 35 to 45 units of blood are needed in Bermuda every week to manage therapeutic uses, planned surgery and trauma. Put simply: the health and wellness of our community depends on an adequate supply of blood, and blood donors save lives.
“The hospital uses more than 2,200 units of blood each year. We are all stakeholders in the matter of giving blood. You never know when it might be you or a loved one who needs the life saving gift of blood.”
Deputy Premier Michael Dunkley donating blood last week:
Venetta Symonds, BHB CEO and President, said: The Bermuda Blood Donor Centre is responsible for providing a ready supply of life-saving blood to the hospital. To maintain levels that meet the needs of our patients, we need between 40 to 50 people to donate blood every week
“We would especially like to encourage younger people to consider becoming donors this year. As our current pool of donors grows older, we must recruit members of the younger generation to replace them. While we are grateful for everyone in our community who chooses to donate blood, we would love to see people in their 20s and 30s become donors.
“A unit of donated blood is usually separated into different products and as a result, up to three lives can be saved with a single donation. Providing blood products to those in need depends solely on the unsung heroes who choose to become donors.
“More than 75% of our blood products are used for medical patients with sickle cell disease or cancer, as well as for people experiencing acute bleeding and patients on dialysis. In addition, donated blood is used for people undergoing surgery and for mothers and babies during labour and delivery. The health and wellness of our community depends on an adequate supply of blood.
“As I express appreciation on behalf of our entire community to our current blood donors, I also urge everyone in Bermuda to consider becoming a donor.
“We know it takes a village to raise a child- it also takes a village to assure the gift of life – an adequate supply of blood for our population,” concluded Ms Symonds.
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We’re a developed country!?
I would love to be able to donate blood but because I lived in the UK in the early 90′s, they will not accept my “donation”…guess the risk of Mad Cow disease, even 20 years later, is too high!
i’m with you I used to give regularly in the UK but not allowed here. Makes no sense to me.
Yep, I moved to bermuda in 1995 from the uk, can’t donate blood here, ridiculous! Also are you allowed to donate blood if you have used drugs like marijuana? I doubt it, which more or less leaves a quarter of the island unable to donate!
Blood Donors & Organ Donors have a big Heart !
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If you want more blood donors, perhaps the hospital should change its practices and start accepting blood from homosexual men. The powers that be would rather have someone die than give them blood from a homosexual.
Gotta agree with you on that one. I swear we’ve advanced in science enough to know that being a gay male doesn’t automatically make you HIV positive or whatever the “issue” is. Healthy blood is healthy blood! Plus if you’ll take blood from a homosexual female, what’s the difference?
Can you imagine the Bermuda Bible Thumpers being told they’re getting a transfusion of blood from a gay man?
It could have AIDS/HIV who wants dat deya?!?>! Ya mad!
As could anybody’s blood, you f**king idiot yout!
Did the concept of testing the blood before using it cross your mind?
I too was a regular O-negative blood donor in Bermuda until the rules were changed relating to time spent in UK. Originally it was 26 weeks cumulative prior to some date in the 80′s but it was changed to 6 weeks due, I believe, to the accreditation protocols. A considerable number of regular donors were thus eliminated from the donor pool.
Bermuda needs to get out of the stone age and start paying people to donate blood! Problem solved!Next?