The importance of donating blood

This year Ms Nakhonekham Sitthipaseuth is giving blood for the 61st time as a way to help people whose lives could be in danger.
Blood donations have become a habit for her and she has been giving blood since 2001. She donates blood at least three times a year to help ease the high demand for blood in hospitals.

Ms Nakhonekham Sitthipaseuth shares her blood donation experience on World Blood Donor Day in Vientiane this year.

She always feels pleased whenever she has to go and lie down and have her blood taken, knowing that it may well be used extend someone’s life.
Unfortunately, many other people don’t understand the importance of giving blood. Lots of people are suspicious of the process and want to know if there are any side effects. They question why blood donations are necessary. And if you give blood on one occasion, is it necessary to do so in the future?
Ms Nakhonekham, who is a regular blood donor, would like to share her feelings about this worthwhile service to the community and give some advice. If you are healthy you should consider to donate blood as often as you can, she says. To those who are worried when giving blood for the first time, Ms Nakhonekham says encouragingly that she has never experienced any side effects.
She is always happy to help those less fortunate than herself by donating her blood so they can enjoy good health and perhaps overcome a life-threatening condition.
In general, blood is the fluid that circulates in the principal vascular system of human beings and other vertebrates. In humans, blood consists of plasma in which the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are suspended.
Human blood cells survive for 120 days, after which new blood cells form to replace them. If we don’t donate blood, the cells will die anyway without having benefitted anyone else.
Most people consider the matter carefully before deciding to give blood for the first time. But Ms Nakhonekham says that after the first time you will realise how easy and uncomplicated the process is and that it won’t affect your health in any way.
You could donate blood every three or four months if you are healthy, according to the World Health Organisation.
Ms Nakhonekham is happy to be able to give blood yet again to mark World Blood Donor Day, which is marked annually on June 14.
“I am also happy to see members of government organisations and the general public giving blood on that day,” she says.
“I will continue to support blood donation activities and give my blood for as long as I am healthy,” she adds.
Ms Nakhonekham urges private and government organisations and everyone else to encourage more people to give blood and spread the message of the benefits for society.
She thanked international organisations for their support for the voluntary blood donation system in Laos as it is helping the government to meet the goals of its national blood donation plans. She intends to continue donating blood because she knows there are many people who really need blood.
“I promise that I will continue to donate blood as long as I am in good health. I will also try to persuade my friends and relatives to give blood,” says Ms Nakhonekham, who lives in Nonkeo village, Sikhottabong district, Vientiane.

ByTimes Reporters
(Latest Update June 27, 2018)