The best thing people can do to get freebies :smiley:. I for one are so grateful to be alive due to the fantastic people that have donated. Please keep going. If it wasn't for you my 2 boys wouldn't have a mummy. Best hot deal ever xx

My son has a blood condition and relies on transfusions every 4 weeks & will for the rest of his life unless a cure is found. I am forever grateful to the people that donate blood thank you

I was always very squeamish about needles then when my mum had leukemia she needed blood transfusions and said to me she hoped I give blood. I lied and said I did but eventually the guilt got to me. Now I give platelets so get even more club biscuits. I still don't watch when they stick the needle in but it's a dawdle now. So if I can get over my irrational fear and do then anyone can (and don't put yourself off by saying 'I can't. They won't take me'. The rules change and many that thought they couldn't donate now can do.

I think it's a great deal. Sometimes you get Orange juice and crisp too:D

I wanted to be a blood donor, but unfortunately I'm unable to due to a medical problem :disappointed:

I hate needles and the sight of blood, but started to donate to try and get over my fear, i take my headphones with me and listen to some nice music and tell the nurse to crack on, takes less than 5 mins and doesnt hurt a bit, they cover up the needle so i dont see it.
donated 7 times now, i feel that im giving something back and may save a life.
should have done it years ago.
then theres the free tea and buscuits and crisps and the great friendly people who are also saving lifes giving a spare bit of their time.:smile:

Thanks. You must be proud of your dad's legacy to others. I am on the donor list. In my opinion if you're prepared to accept an organ you should also be prepared to donate them.... as long as they don't rush to take anything while I've still got life in me! As a biker I'm considered to be a good candidate to be an organ donor anyway!

You can always go on the donor list. My dad donated his eyes and 2 people got sight again.

:smiley:

Nothing new, but still worth doing - heat added :smiley:

I want to give blood but I have a phobia of injections. How do I overcome this?

Bumped it to over 1100c! To be honest I'm one of those people who almost faint on blood tests etc so would struggle to give blood but I appreciate it when people do :smiley:

It's possible you were dehydrated.
Drinking lots of water the 24hrs before you go to donate may make it easier to find the veins.
It may also help to make sure you are wearing warm clothing before the donation.
It would save this hassle if each of the blood donation teams had a
Illumivein -- Vein Finder & Transilluminator Find Veins for Phlebotomy and IV
you can get them on EBAY for less that £20 and rather than making several sticks and then giving up they could ask to borrow the vein finder for tricky cases.

I tried to make my first donation today but the 2 nurses that tried couldn't find a good enough vein... (They did still offer me tea and biscuits but I politely declined):disappointed:

Makes you feel good when giving blood.Tony Hancock sketch is well worth watching for those yet to do so. :smiley:

its finally happened, a Blood deal on hukd.

I never said NHS patients dont get the blood they need, I was talking about in the past when it was sold on.

Laughable that you are trying to put me down rather than just not respond.

I think donating blood is a good thing but like everything its not perfect.

What a humbling and interesting post to read. Thank you to
all of you. I am now over the age limit but gave over 40 pints
when I could. It is a wonderful feeling to know you are helping.
I was once called in specially as I had a moderately rare
blood group. I helped to save a baby's life that day.

Why would hotukdeals not allow the link to work? That's a really shameful way for this website to act.

Deal or not, heat added for raising awareness on how important it is to give blood.

But one thing you will notice about NHS blood website is that there is absolutely no mention of any of the potential benefits to donors that MAY arise from regular blood donation.
While of course it would be wrong to oversell the potential of health benefits, disease prention that MAY benefit donors, it seems wrong to me to totally ignore the potential benefits that may arise.
We know "Serum Ferritin Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome and Red Meat Consumption" and we know regular blood donation reduces serum ferritin so why keep this secret?
We know "Increased ferritin concentration was associated with increased risk for diabetes in Korean men" and it's reasonable to assume it's the same for UK men (and women) so why not encourage older people to reduce their serum ferritin with regular blood donations.
The NHS simply cannot affort the care costs that will arise if we do nothing to reduce the incidence of T2 Diabetes and Alzheimer's and stroke.
It is sheer negligence that a cheap and easy preventative approach, encouraging more regular blood donations, by explaining to people the potential to delay the onset of these chronic conditions that may accrue to those regularlly donating blood and reducing iron overload.

I had to stop giving blood years ago but this post reminded me to check back with them.

I can now start giving again :smiley:

Thanks OP :man:

I've given blood in the past, but now I'm over 65 they don't want mine anymore

I work for the Blood Service and the suggestion that normal NHS patients don't get the blood they need is totally laughable. It's sad how some people manage to be put off doing things by this sort of warped moralistic thinking. If you don't want to donate just don't do it rather than masking your decisions in fuzzy reasoning.

Ok, I am no medical expert but i have donated twice (to the same anonymous) beneficiary; i think there are two ways you can donate; one is bone marrow, a more involved procedure, the other (which i did)​ is blood stem cells. You get informed of the preferred method for the person you're a match to.
Yes, physically it's a bit of an effort but made worthwhile by feelgood factor afterwards. And you get free food and drinks! ;-)

Is the rule still in place that if you've received a blood transfusion you can not give blood? If so then I guess I still can't give blood. :disappointed:

They did not have priority though, but this is going back 20 years ago so I think laws have changed they used to make a hell of a lot selling much of the blood to private whilst people who were desperate on NHS didnt get it.

Either way I would never donate blood the same way as I would never donate an organ unless I had a personal interest, I don't like to be guilt tripped into anything and the organisation give me a guilt trip, i.d rather help people in anyway I can financially and physically and then if they needed other help I would do it because that is selfless, just giving for the sake of it is never selfless.

Isn't that the only reason we give blood? haha

now been doing it for nearly 50 years ,have over 350 platlet-blood
donations,would do it even without the freebies
I donate 1 sunday a month easy easy

Enjoyed the good feeling after donating. Was barred after having a bone graft :disappointed:
Better safe than sorry <3

Unfortunately I have had to stop giving blood as I developed diabetes, just 4 donations short of my gold!

Thanks for all of the heat folks!

Comment

I've recently signed up to be a bone marrow donor, and it's no where near as brutal as it used to be.

I was told I was unable to give blood as I had pre-malignant cancerous cells when I was younger so unfortunately I can't even though I would love to help

To be honest it's not just the tea and biscuits that benefits blood donors.
As we get older, and this is particularly the case for post menopausal women, we build up iron levels and too much iron is associated with increased stroke incidence.
Iron reduction causes a significant age-related improvement in cardiovascular disease outcomes, new cancer diagnoses, and cancer-specific death.
There is a similar story for Diabetes, obviously cutting out the glucose (refined carbohydrates) is the first priority but iron reduction is going to help as well.
Iron is increasingly recognized to influence glucose metabolism at multiple levels. Body iron stores should be considered as a potential target for therapy in subjects with T2D or those at risk for developing T2D. Simplest way of reducing iron stores is to give blood as frequently as they permit.
Phlebotomy is also helpful for people with, or on the path towards, metabolic syndrome.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3386865/

Great idea, we should all give a little something back...the truth is you never know the minute you might need a transfusion!! Don't meant to be bleak but life is unpredictable

Even better; sign up to Anthony Nolan (bone marrow and blood stem cells). If uou're a match to someone you get pampered for 1 or 2 days!!

Thank you for the reminder - I haven't given blood for a while. Make sure you have a sandwich beforehand and you will feel fine :-)

My dad used to give blood years ago until he found out they were making money from it selling to private healthcare, not sure if its changed or not, he had no issue giving it away to people who needed it just didnt agree with the profit they made.

Similar experience but they had come to my work so I didn't need a lift. :-)
I did at least find out my blood type which may be helpful at some future point I suppose.

So easy to do and so amazing to help people that need it. Everyone that can, should give blood. :smiley:

Apparently people had a transfusion in the UK is not allowed to give blood.

Excellent

If anyone is scared to try, honestly please don't be, you hardly feel a thing and there is absolutely nothing to be worried about, find a friend to go with and give each other support.

A great feeling after blood donation. Cant describe in words. Cant compare it with any nicest thing on bargain. Hat off to all those who ve given it even once in their life time.

Well done to all who give blood, I can't I'm anaemic! Do love a biscuit though

if you give platelets instead of whole blood it takes longer but you get a little picnic basket with biscuits, crisps, club biscuits etc and the staff are always great. I'm on 158 donations so far and they are still putting up with me!

There are some lovely Club biscuits and crisps at my local donation point. :smiley:

Free HIV test included too !

My son has a blood condition and relies on transfusions every 4 weeks & will for the rest of his life unless a cure is found. I am forever grateful to the people that donate blood thank you

whatever you do don't ask for a second one or you will get the worst attitude and a big fat No

[quote=AlanClarke]Not free, it's an exchange program.:smirk:[/quot]
*programme.
but if you freely decide to enter into the exchange, what's the additional cost?

Sadly I'm going to miss out on this freebie. I faint whenever I give a vile of blood let alone a couple of pints. I'm more hassle being there for the nurses! :disappointed:

I was always very squeamish about needles then when my mum had leukemia she needed blood transfusions and said to me she hoped I give blood. I lied and said I did but eventually the guilt got to me. Now I give platelets so get even more club biscuits. I still don't watch when they stick the needle in but it's a dawdle now. So if I can get over my irrational fear and do then anyone can (and don't put yourself off by saying 'I can't. They won't take me'. The rules change and many that thought they couldn't donate now can do.

Ive given blood twice and thats it for me, first time got half way through got light headed, second time eat before etc bought some music to listen to and bamm same thing again, I then also have a major headache after. Sorry but I get so ill from it I dont want to do it, if I didnt get this I would do it all the time :disappointed:. I suppose my body doesnt like losing any blood what so ever.

I've done about 15 now. love it.

<3 I gave my first donation a couple of months ago, not just the free drink and snack, but an immense nice feeling that you are helping someone in need :smiley:

Booked my second donation straight after and wondering why I didn't start giving earlier on in my life

Not free, it's an exchange program.

:smirk:

The best thing people can do to get freebies :smiley:. I for one are so grateful to be alive due to the fantastic people that have donated. Please keep going. If it wasn't for you my 2 boys wouldn't have a mummy. Best hot deal ever xx

I got a T-shirt once... I'd put the wrong shirt on that day, a sweatshirt with tight cuffs that wouldn't slide up, so I slipped my arm out but it was a bit chilly - so they gave me a T-shirt to change into.

Thank you!
I shall have to look out for OJ and crisps, normally just make a beeline for the jammy dodgers! Thanks!

Great deal. Have some heat

I think it's a great deal. Sometimes you get Orange juice and crisp too:D