GIVING BLOOD
(Reprinted from Manifest issue 2)
Here in Greece each local municipality is responsible for supplying blood to the nearest major hospital. If someone has an accident and requires blood the first thing that is asked of them is where they live. The supplies are then checked to see if that municipality(dimos) has donated enough of not only blood, but the particular blood group that is needed. Sometimes urgent calls are made for individuals or family members to donate blood in a crisis. It can be a worrying business. That is why, here in our local community we organise at least two blood donation sessions a year at the Agios Nicolaos Health centre. We are required to supply Kalamata hospital with a specific number of bags of blood, and very often fall short.
In the past years I’ve been helping the blood drive and trying to recruit more foreigners into the donation programme. I carry haemophilia A and suffer from Von Willebrand Disease, where my blood doesn’t clot properly or quickly enough causing long lasting nosebleeds, bruising, gum bleeds, internal bleeding in my legs and very heavy periods. My male cousins all suffer from haemophilia and are regularly injected with blood clotting factors. So although I can’t give blood, I want to help in some way. If you are under 62, in good health, haven’t taken aspirin 4 days before the donation, are not on cholesterol reducing drugs, or blood pressure medication, and have not had a serious operation in the last year, THEN WE NEED YOU
We do our best to make you feel comfortable, offer a nice buffet after and make you feel OK throughout the whole process . The team that comes down to run our programme are lovely and make everyone feel as comfortable as possible. I know it’s not the ideal way to be spending an hour or so and you can find all sorts of excuses for not coming, but believe me, EVERY DROP COUNTS and anyway it is a great reason not to do anything else all day long! For more information please contact Pamela Garelick on 27210 77893 or 693 926 3390 except 3-5 pm in the summer.
Ag. Nikolaos health center (Tel. 27210-77210) In this area you have the opportunity to give blood at the Ag. Nikolaos health centre. The blood bus from Kalamata comes twice a year, the clinic knows the date 20 days in advance.
Kalamata hospital (Tel. 27210-46000) At other times you can donate your blood at Kalamata hospital. The blood donor centre is in the ground floor and is usually open from 9 -1pm, but phone to check. To give blood you have to be less than 62 years, healthy and not on any medication.
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