Summer is often a challenge for the French Blood Establishment, which has difficulty collecting the 10,000 blood donations per day to cover the needs of patients. That’s why I made one over the holidays.
- The French blood establishment needs 10,000 donations a day to meet the blood needs of patients.
- Summer and the first 15 days of September are complicated times to obtain them.
- Collections take place in. vacation spots this summer.
The French Blood Establishment regularly carries out campaigns to raise public awareness of blood donation. But its teams know that their best ambassadors are the donors themselves. And I recognize it, it is my case. Despite the campaigns seen, and even the articles written on the subject, the idea of giving my blood germinated during a lunch with my niece. While we were on the terrace, she confided that she was going to make an appointment to donate blood before her vacation. These few words reminded me of the blood bag reserves were often low at this time.
It’s more complicated to mobilize donors in the summer
This is how I found myself in the premises of the Maison du don de sang de la Trinité (Paris 9th) on the morning of July 31. In my search to be useful, the period to take the plunge is rather well chosen: July and August can, in fact, be complicated months for the organization. “We need 10,000 donations every day to cover the needs of patients. However, in the summer, it is more complicated to mobilize donors, because they leave their homes to go on vacation”explains Dr. Michèle Villemur, doctor in charge of the Mobile Collections Center of the French Blood Establishment for the Île-de-France region.
“The first 15 days of September are also complicated because it’s back to school. You have to get back to your rhythm of life, the children go to school, the activities are set up… There is always a hesitation at this time”.
If the imperatives and busy schedules can be an obstacle to blood donation, the lack of knowledge of the criteria, the course of the procedure or the places of collection are others. It was these elements that kept me away from the centers for many years. However, finding a collection location and making an appointment is very simple. All this information is on the blood donation site. In addition, it offers a self-assessment test to determine if you can donate your blood, plasma or platelets, and thus avoid unnecessary trips if you meet an exclusion criterion.
The interview prior to donation: questions to preserve everyone’s health
On D-Day, after presenting an identity document at the reception, I was invited to fill out a questionnaire addressing several subjects such as my state of health in recent days, my medical history (hypertension, past surgeries, appointments recent medical, vaccines…), my travels as well as my intimate life. My answers were analyzed with the nurse who provided the interview prior to the donation.
Personally, the hardest part has been remembering the dates of my travels over the past few years… although the pandemic has proven to be an effective benchmark.
For those who might be bothered by questions concerning their private life: they are precise but “soft”. No need to say the exact number of partners during his life, his favorite positions or even his sexual orientation. Indeed, the reference to sexual orientation in the selection criteria for donation candidates has disappeared since March 16, 2022.
The exclusion criteria are having had sexual relations with several partners in the last 4 months (protected or not), risky behavior such as paid sex, taking drugs or if the partner himself has had risky practices.
At the end of the consultation, the health professional confirms or not the possibility of making a donation as well as the quantity collected during the donation. This varies between 420 and 480 ml depending on the sex and the weight of the donor.
“Some donors are disappointed if they are told they cannot donate after the interview. But our priority long before having a bag of blood is their health as well as that of the recipients”, says the doctor.
Blood donation: the injection is more scary than bad
Fear of needles or discomfort prevents many people from considering donating blood. Bites are clearly not one of my favorite moments. But I have to admit, I didn’t feel anything when the nurse pricked me. I also had no pain during the collection. The procedure is not very long either: about ten minutes at most for a blood donation.
In the end, the most complicated thing during the collection was thinking about drinking my water bottle well, squeezing the ball regularly to activate blood circulation and flexing with my ankles (a technique to avoid dizziness during or after the donation ) while I was chatting with the staff of the French Blood Establishment. Moreover, unlike the vaccine, there is no residual pain in the pricked arm the following days.
“Your blood bag can be separated into 3 different products: red blood cells which can be kept for 42 days, platelets which can be kept for 7 days and plasma which is frozen. It can save 3 people”Dr. Michèle Villemur explains to me during the donation.
If the priority is to reserve the blood products collected for the sick, donations can also be used for research. “Certain events – such as a bag containing an insufficient volume of blood or having small anomalies – make the bags unusable for patients. With the agreement of the donor, we can direct the blood to research and teaching. This is also very useful and makes it possible to help patients indirectly since it is used to develop new protocols and treatments or to train health professionals. Thus, the blood collected is not lost. It is too precious and irreplaceable to to be thrown”says the expert.
After the effort, comfort. Once the looting of blood is over comes the gourmet break. Hot or cold drinks, biscuits, chocolates, madeleines, savory dishes without forgetting the fruit pastes (great success of the “menu” of the EFS) are served by the volunteers.
“I’m going to use a strong word because some donors think it’s optional. It is mandatory to go through the snack and stay 20 minutes on site. This allows the donor to rest, but above all to hydrate and eat to recover before resuming his activities and thus avoid discomfort”, indicates the specialist.
Certain recommendations are also to be followed once the blood drive has ended. It’s necessary :
– make sure to stay hydrated and have a diet rich in iron to promote the production of red blood cells;
– keep the bandage on for at least two hours;
– do not carry heavy objects with the arm where the sample was taken;
– do not do intense exercise for the next 24 hours, as this will increase the effects of blood loss;
– do not smoke within two hours.
In the end, between the preliminary interview, the blood sample and the snack break, donating blood only took an hour of my life and potentially helped save 3 lives.
Blood donation: it is possible to donate during your holidays
If I made my donation in the capital, it is good to remember that the EFS is present throughout the territory… and not only in the big cities and the hospitals. Moreover, in this summer period when the risks of blood shortage are significant, the organization does not hesitate to organize collections as close as possible to holidaymakers.
“People can donate anywhere in France. We have a national file so we can find them without worries if they have already given or create a file for them if it is a first donation”assures Dr Michèle Villemur.
The holidays are sometimes the occasion for nutritional differences. Could this be a concern for blood donation? “When you want to donate blood, you must not arrive on an empty stomach. Afterwards, if you have eaten at a good restaurant or had an aperitif the day before to celebrate the holidays, that does not lead to the refusal of the donation. Of course, you talks about a drink: alcohol consumption should be in moderation. Everyone knows the law, especially if you have to drive to make the donation”explains the referent doctor of the French Blood Establishment.
The health professional also sees an advantage in making a donation in a seaside resort: “When you want to make or have made a donation, you have to pay attention to your iron intake, because the sample will take up red blood cells, and therefore deplete the body of iron. To counter this, you have to eat foods rich in iron… And precisely if you are by the sea, you can easily eat mussels or shellfish. And that’s perfect since these foods are rich in iron”.
The collection program organized at holiday resorts in August:
Great East:
– August 21: Lake Bairon
– August 31: Strasbourg Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
Loire-Atlantique / Vendée
– August 23: Noirmoutier
Occitania
– August 14: Lourdes
– August 24: Marseillan Beach
Many collections are also planned in New Aquitaine throughout the summer: on the island of Ré, in Lacanau, in Arcachon or even in Saint Jean-de-Luz…