<p>Today marks World Blood Donor day and TrueProfile.io would like to highlight the importance of the people who facilitate blood donation and transfusion. For 2022, World Blood Donor Day’s slogan is “Donating blood is an act of solidarity. Join the effort and save lives.” We asked two of our Members about their experiences as medical workers and donors and the benefits of donating blood.</p>
<h4>Karla Lim is from the Philippines and works as a Stem Cell Laboratory Assistant at a private hospital in Thailand.</h4>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1024" height="569" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-1024x569.jpg" alt="Karla Lim World Blood Donor Day" class="wp-image-11779" srcset="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-1024x569.jpg 1024w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-300x167.jpg 300w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-768x427.jpg 768w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-1536x853.jpg 1536w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-2048x1138.jpg 2048w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-1200x667.jpg 1200w, https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/GOPR0388_1512359707531_high-karla-lim-1980x1100.jpg 1980w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>Filipino Stem Cell Laboratory Assistant, Karla Lim.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Karla, what is the biggest challenge that faces blood donation today?</h2>
<p>This year has been difficult to organize blood drives because of the pandemic. We don’t want to gather people and create crowds. A lot of people are afraid to go to hospitals or blood centers so I think this is the biggest challenge at present.</p>
<h3>There is always a demand for blood and giving blood is a life-saving act of solidarity. What can hematology professionals do to encourage more donors?</h3>
<p><strong>Blood donors are heroes.</strong> As a Medical Technologist and a Blood Galloner myself, giving donors some token of appreciation or recognition every time they donate blood is a big act of gratitude and would encourage them to donate wholeheartedly. My first ever blood donation was for a leukemia patient. It meant life for her to have blood supply regularly and the feeling of being able to help was fulfilling and priceless. I will continue to donate blood for as long as I am able.</p>
<h4>Julie Ann Reyes is from the Philippines and works as a Medical Technologist in Ajman, UAE.</h4>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img decoding="async" src="https://production-prod-trueprofile-blogassets-origin.s3.ap-southeast-1.amazonaws.com/uploads/2021/06/A59D1C1F-A463-4BE7-83B0-CF72936773C9-Julie-Ann-Reyes-scaled-e1655127987107.jpg" alt="Julie Ann Reyes World Blood Donor Day" class="wp-image-11778"/><figcaption>Filipino Medical Technologist, Julie Ann Reyes.</figcaption></figure>
<h2>Julie, what is the most rewarding element of your role as a Medical Technologist? </h2>
<p>The most rewarding element of my role is helping our doctors diagnose the patient’s disease by providing accurate and reliable results.</p>
<h2>What do you wish people knew about donating blood?</h2>
<p>Donating blood is a win-win situation for both the donor and the recipient. By donating blood you save the lives of others and at the same time you are renewing your red blood cells. Blood is a specialized bodily fluid that supplies oxygen and other nutrients in the entire body and it contains plasma and cells approximately around 10% of human weight. Blood also undergoes certain tests to make sure that it’s safe for the patient upon transfusion.</p>
<h2>What would you like to change about the process of donating blood?</h2>
<p>Due to the pandemic caused by COVID-19, it became extra challenging to organize blood donations. Perhaps what organizers can do is create campaigns or ads explaining how beneficial it is to donate blood.</p>
<h2>How will you celebrate World Blood Donor day?</h2>
<p>I volunteer for blood-giving campaigns and call on all my friends to participate in such blood donor activities.</p>
<h4>Become a part of TrueProfile.io’s registered pool of verified healthcare professionals. </h4>
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