Giving blood is easy, saves lives
by Ian Brizdle | May 6, 2019
Doing something for the first time is always difficult because you don’t really know what to expect. And NOBODY likes getting poked with needles. Before 2017, I had never given blood because I wasn’t familiar with the process and, admittedly, was kind of intimidated by it. Participating for the first time in my company blood drive has changed my perspective and Hawaiian Electric has made it easy and convenient for me to give blood on a regular basis.
I originally became involved with blood drives in October 2017 while taking some photos for social media to promote our employees giving blood during a company-sponsored drive. In any given year, Hawaiian Electric hosts six two-day drives at our Ward Avenue facility, six one-day drives at Waiau Power Plant, and occasional drives a couple of times a year at both Kahe Power Plant and Koolau Base Yard. During these events, the Blood Bank of Hawaii’s bloodmobile is parked at a designated location and employees can schedule appointments or just walk in. Maui Electric and Hawaii Electric Light employees also participate in their own blood drives.
At the 2017 blood drive, I wanted to get some pictures of employees giving blood, but it seemed kind of intrusive to the donors at the time. So I decided to volunteer myself for the first time. I showed up without an appointment and filled out the paperwork. The forms are important because there are some health restrictions to ensure the safety of the donor and the recipient. Certain conditions including blood diseases, recent transfusions, heart conditions and even medications can prevent a person from donating blood for safety reasons.
Does it hurt? It’s really not that bad. Full disclosure — you get poked with a needle twice, once beforehand on the finger to test your blood count, and again when they draw the blood from either arm. The bloodmobile has comfortable chairs that allow you to lie down in either direction so that you can decide which arm you would like the technicians to draw blood from. The staff was especially friendly and helped me get the photos that I wanted during the process. It takes about 10–15 minutes for them to draw enough blood, and then they unhook everything and patch you up.
Some people experience lightheadedness after giving blood, so they recommend relaxing for a bit before standing up and walking around. They also provide snacks, juice and water to help you replenish your sugar and fluids. I have not experienced any dramatic side effects, but I do recommend grabbing a juice and some chips or cookies afterward to maintain your energy level.
So now that you know what to expect, it should be a piece of cake to give blood. The problem is, only about 2 percent of people in Hawaii give blood. Donating blood is the best form of community service because it doesn’t cost you anything and it saves lives. One pint of blood can save up to three lives, and 1 in 7 people entering the hospital will need blood. It truly is a no-brainer.
So how do you give blood? If your company participates in blood drives, that is probably the most convenient way for you to become involved. In 2018, there were 302 individual donors from Hawaiian Electric Company who donated 871 units of blood.
This year, our Kahe Power Plant drive on Friday, May 10, is open to the public as well. The bloodmobile will be there from 6:30 to 11:30 a.m. Contact Conrad Higa at (808) 543–4100 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins are also welcome!
You can also go to the Blood Bank of Hawaii donor center on Young Street, or one of their pop-up centers at various locations. For more information on how you can give, visit the Blood Bank of Hawaii website at www.bbh.org.
Ian Brizdle is an online communications analyst for Hawaiian Electric Company.
