[Avodah] donating blood

[Michael Kopinsky]

On 3/18/07, T613K at aol.com <T613K at aol.com> wrote:
> I read somewhere that if everyone in the country donated blood just once
> per
> lifetime, there would be no blood shortage.  So when the blood bank  calls
> me
> to donate again, I decline, because I figure I have already  done my share
> --
> and will do again if needed.
>

In the Magen David Adom blood mobile they had a statistic posted (I read
it while drinking my free juice and waiting for them to tell me I could
leave)  that (IIRC) for a country to maintain an adequate blood supply,
they must receive 50,000 blood donations yearly per 1,000,000 citizens.
This means that if 5% of the population gave yearly, that would be enough.
And considering that the majority of the population (both American and
Israeli) do not give nearly enough, I, as an Orthodox Jew, am not
satisfied to give only according to that minimum, and will give as often
as I can.

A question I've before is, if I'm currently in the US and have an
opportunity to give for the Red Cross etc., but will be going to Israel
before my 3 months end, and by giving now I am delaying when I'll be able
to give to a majority-Jewish blood bank, is it better to give now or to
wait?