#66... Donate blood

My paternal grandfather had a lot of trouble with his hips... and as a result, had many surgeries to repair them, involving more than a few blood transfusions. So I always had this idea that when I reached the age of 18, I would become a blood donor in honour of Grandpa. Sadly, three months before I reached the age of majority, I discovered that I had Juvenile (Type 1) Diabetes. Since people with diabetes can't donate, my career as a blood donor ended before it began, and I was more than a little miffed. I would never get to lie on one of those cots with the feeling that I might be saving a life, and I would never get to eat the donut reward that the nice nurses offered. As someone with diabetes, I give many tubes of blood at the lab, but I can't give it to someone who really needs it.

And there are lots of people who really need it, especially during these summer months. A friend who is an orthopedic surgeon has lots of trauma stories to tell this time of year, and is working long hours because of traffic, workplace and leisure (ATV) accidents. Quite often, when we get to the long weekends of summer, there are media campaigns for blood donations because our hospitals run short. So if you're healthy and have a little time on your hands, consider paying a visit to a Blood Donor Clinic. Relax on one of those cots, maybe save a life, and have a donut (or whatever they serve these days) for me, too. Give the gift of life!

P.S. Looking for more Simple Suggestions? Try here.