Saving lives: Blood donation guidelines clarified

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Lynne Neveu
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Qualified military and civilian Team Vance members have the chance to save a life when a team from the Oklahoma Blood Institute mans a mobile blood donation unit Aug. 26 on base.
Although Team Vance members donate countless volunteer hours to the community during the year, Christine Sanchez, OBI technician, said they often disqualify themselves from giving the most precious gift of all -- the gift of life.
Many people will find they are actually eligible, or have a minimal waiting period to donate, she said.
"The military community is unique in that many have served overseas for at least three or four months," Ms. Sanchez said. "Military members are often our most giving donors, and it is a common misconception ... that they are ineligible to donate blood if they have served any time overseas, especially in Europe."
This misconception stems from the epidemic of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy among cattle herds in the United Kingdom during the 1980s and 90s, she said. The disease is commonly referred to as mad cow disease, and is transmitted from cattle to humans by eating infected beef.
By Food and Drug Administration guidelines, people are deferred from donating blood indefinitely only if they have spent three or more months in the United Kingdom from 1980 to 1996, five years or more in Europe from 1980 to the present or were stationed north of the Alps in Belgium, Netherlands or Germany from 1980 to 1990 or south of the Alps in Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Italy or Greece from 1980 to 1996.
"The guidelines are a precaution against a possible risk of spreading a very rare disease called variant Cruetzfeltd-Jacob Disease through blood transfusions," said Dr. Jason Scanton, OBI physician.
Ms. Sanchez said she encourages anyone with questions about their eligibility to call OBI or stop by the mobile donor center Aug. 26.
"We encourage everyone to donate, if they can," she said. "Blood products have a limited shelf life and are constantly being replenished. Ten or fifteen minutes out of your day is worth saving a life."
According to the OBI Web site, if a person lives to the age of 72, there is a 95 percent chance that he or she will have a need for blood products during his or her lifetime. About 8 percent of a person's weight is blood. The amount of blood varies according to height and weight, but an average man has about 12 pints of blood, and the average woman has about 9 pints. The human body is able to produce 17,000,000 red blood cells per second, and seven times that amount when stress precipitates a need, so replacement of donated blood is fairly quick.
The OBI is the sole provider of blood supplies to more than 100 Oklahoma hospitals and medical centers, including Integris Bass Baptist Memorial Hospital and St. Mary's Regional Medical Center in Enid.
Service members on flying status are encouraged to call the clinic at 7416 for guidelines. For more information, call the OBI at 233-9323 or 800-299-9323.