Thread: Who else donates....whole blood, plasma or platelets

My wife is a Scot so they won't let her donate. They won't let me donate either as I can't stay conscious.

So this is to say a huge thankyou to all those who can and do.

I probably shouldn't ask, but why wouldn't they let a Scot donate? Do they have weird blood or something?

Originally Posted by DiscoMick

I probably shouldn't ask, but why wouldn't they let a Scot donate? Do they have weird blood or something?

There are a number of potentially humorous answers I could write, but in the interest of not getting nutted I'll stick to the facts.

If you were residing in the UK during the BSE outbreak (or surrounding dates) the risk of potential contamination is apparently greater than the need for blood products. Unlike HIV or Hepatitis, CJD can't be screened for. There's another joke buried in there about "Mad Cows", but see sentence no 1.

After that time, a friend of mine was working in the NHS as a Nurse and was unfortunate enough to witness several cases of CJD (the human version). Apparently once you've seen that you'd understand why the risk is as high as it is assessed to be. I'm happy to be told second hand, and still can't unhear some of the stuff I was told (nurses can be incredibly and bluntly graphic).

If you are seriously asking, a quick google turned up : 'Mad cow disease' - why you can't donate blood, breast milk and tissues | Queensland Health

That page has a fairly succinct explanation including dates and details. Combine that with my second hand information that CJD is "Not a disease you want to be within a mile of" and I can see why.

OK, that makes sense. Thanks.

Clinical Plasma today......

It’s the quietest I’ve ever seen it @ the Brisbane CBD donation Centre.

A sign displayed the following in the foyer

1 in 3 will need blood products in there life
Only
1 in 30 donate.

I am not allowed to donate blood as I spent a year in the UK in the 1980s. The logic is that I could be a carrier for Mad Cow disease but they do not test people, so the result is that for the last 36 years I cannot give blood where I was prolific in donating before that.

Their loss I guess as no one anywhere has contracted mad cow disease from the blood supply - unlike some other really bad diseases.

Garry

Originally Posted by 101RRS

I am not allowed to donate blood as I spent a year in the UK in the 1980s. The logic is that I could be a carrier for Mad Cow disease but they do not test people, so the result is that for the last 36 years I cannot give blood where I was prolific in donating before that.

Their loss I guess as no one anywhere has contracted mad cow disease from the blood supply - unlike some other really bad diseases.

Garry

Me and my wife are in the same boat and she has the rare blood type and would love to be able to give blood to those that need it.
It's a shame and as you said there seems to be no real reason for it

I put this in another post I think but it belongs here.

thank%u00252Byou%u00252Bmessages%u00252Bto%u00252Bblood%u00252Bdonors.jpg

I tried bleeding to death a few weeks ago. 5 pints of other peoples donated blood later and some nifty patch work to stop leaks and I am alive. As a blood donor myself, I never fully appreciated how vitally important and generous blood donors are. (PS walking with out crutches since last Thursday rocks)