Tarikh 14 Jun adalah Hari Derma Darah Sedunia. Sambutan itu memberi pengiktirafan kepada penderma darah dan galakan agar kempen menderma darah diteruskan dengan jaya.
Untuk pengetahuan anda, terdapat kriteria-kriteria tertentu bagi penderma darah. Kriterianya adalah seperti berikut:
- Mempunyai berat badan yang melebihi 45 kilogram
- Berumur antara 18 tahun hingga 60 tahun (Sekiranya anda berumur 17 tahun, anda perlu dapat kebenaran bertulis daripada ibubapa/penjaga)
- Tidur yang melebihi 5 jam pada malam sebelum hari pendermaan
- Tahap hemoglobin (kandungan protin dan zat besi) sekurang-kurangnya 12.5g%
- Tidak mengambil sebarang ubat antibiotik kecuali diberi kebenaran oleh pegawai perubatan.
- Tidak mengambil minuman beralkohol 24 jam sebelum menderma darah
- Tidak mengidap penyakit Tekanan Darah Tinggi, Diabetis dan Sakit Jantung
- Tidak mengidap Penyakit Talasemia, Haemofilia, Hepatitis B atau C, Penyakit Kelamin, AIDS dan sebagainya.
Kepentingan Menderma Darah
Menderma darah mendatangkan kebaikkan kepada banyak pihak. Selain daripada membantu menyelamatkan mangsa yang mengalami kecederaan parah, darah yang diderma digunakan semasa pelbagai jenis pembedahan. Darah yang didermakan juga digunakan untuk mengantikan darah yang telah rosak pada pesakit Anemia dan pesakit Talasemia.
Berikut adalah kepentingan menderma darah kepada penderma darah itu sendiri
Preserving Cardiovascular Health
Blood viscosity is known to be a unifying factor for the risk of cardiovascular disease says the Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide. How thick and sticky your blood is and how much friction your blood creates through the blood vessels can determine how much damage is done to the cells lining your arteries. You can reduce your blood viscosity by donating blood on a regular basis which eliminates the iron that may possibly oxidize in your blood. An increase in oxidative stress can be damaging to your cardiovascular system.
Blood donation reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), researchers found that participants ages 43-61 had fewer heart attacks and strokes when they donated blood every six months. In a study published by the American Journal of Epidemiology, researchers found in a sample size of 2,682 men in Finland, those who donated blood a minimum of once a year had an 88 percent lower risk of heart attacks than those who did not donate.
The removal of oxidative iron from the body through blood donations means less iron oxidation and reduced cardiovascular diseases.
Reducing The Risk of Cancer
The reduction of iron stores and iron in the body while giving blood can reduce the risk of cancer. Iron has been thought of to increase free-radical damage in the body and has been linked to an increased risk of cancer and aging says a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Researchers followed 1,200 people split into groups of two over the course of 4 ½ years. One group reduced their iron stores by blood donations twice a year whereas the other group did not make any changes. The results of the study showed that the group of blood donors had lower iron levels, and a lower risk of cancer and mortality.
The Miller-Keystone Blood Center says that the consistency of blood donations is associated with lower risks of cancers including liver, lung, colon, and throat cancers due to the reduction in oxidative stress when iron is released from the bloodstream.
Burning Calories
People burn approximately 650 calories per donation of one pint of blood, according to the University of California, San Diego. A donor who regularly donates blood can lose a significant amount of weight, but it should not be thought of as a weight loss plan by any means.
Providing A Free Blood Analysis
Upon donation, donors are tested for syphilis, HIV, hepatitis, and other diseases. Testing indicates whether or not you are eligible to donate based on what is found in your bloodstream.