World Blood Donor Day 2020: Know the Benefits, Criteria & History of Blood Donation

Why We Celebrate Blood Donor Day?

Blood Donor Day is celebrated all around the world on 14th June to raise awareness about blood donations and to show gratitude towards who donate blood to save lives. It is one of the eight days that WHO marked as “global public health campaign”. The day was first celebrated on the birth anniversary of Karl Landsteiner, a scientist who won the Nobel Prize.

This day gives thanks to those who donate blood and do it voluntary and unpaid.

The Benefits of Blood Donation:

1. It reduces the risk of Heart Diseases. Various studies concluded that extreme levels of iron in blood raises the chances of heart diseases. To reduce the iron levels, all people should donate blood from time to time.

2. When anyone donate blood, it helps in the formation of new red blood cells. Just after 48 hours of blood donation, the body starts the replenishment process of lost red blood cells.

3. For every pint of blood donated, body burns 650 calories. So if you don’t feel like working out on a particular day, now you know how you can burn those calories.

4. Various health benefits of blood donation are keeps your liver healthy, keeps cancer away, smooth blood circulation.

5. By donation blood you get the chance for free blood test to monitor your own health.

Criteria to Donate Blood:

• The donor should be a healthy person free from any transmissible diseases.

• Donor must be above 18 & below 60 years of Age. Hemoglobin count should not be less than 12.5g/dl.

• Pulse rate should be between 50-100 without severe fluctuations.

• Body temperature should be normal at the time of donating blood.

• A person can donate blood again only after 3 months minimum gap.

• Always have a healthy nutrition rich meals before and after donating blood.