Blood Donation
Saving a Life: Blood Donation
Deana Taylor February 8, 2013
I. Introduction A. Attention-Getter- Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines blood as, “the fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins of a vertebrate animal carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from all parts of the body.” Blood is the essence of life itself created in our own bodies in the bone marrow. B. Blood donation is a relatively simple process that can save lives. C. We can trace our own blood supply from creation to transfusion; looking at how blood is created and used by the body, how blood is collected and donated and what happens to it after donation. So let’s get right to the marrow, inside the bones where it all begins.
II. A. According to the Puget Sound Blood Center, blood is produced by bone marrow inside your bones.
1. Three kinds of blood cells are produced inside the marrow: red blood cells, disease fighting white blood cells and blood clotting platelets. 2. From the bone marrow these cells enter the circulatory system by way of your blood vessels. 3. Here they are suspended in plasma, a watery liquid that makes up over half the total volume of blood. Plasma is actually 90% water which makes drinking your daily dose of water all the more important. 4. After the blood is made, it is pumped through your body, carrying oxygen to your cells and picking up waste products to be removed from the body while also helping fight disease, infections and even minor cuts and bruises. B. Now that your body is busy making plenty of blood, it can be donated. 1. Blood is needed every two seconds. It is estimated that 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10% do so annually. 2. Who can donate? Depending on what state you live in and their age restrictions, those people who are 16 years old or older, weigh more than 110 pounds and
Deana Taylor February 8, 2013
I. Introduction A. Attention-Getter- Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines blood as, “the fluid that circulates in the heart, arteries, capillaries, and veins of a vertebrate animal carrying nourishment and oxygen to and bringing away waste products from all parts of the body.” Blood is the essence of life itself created in our own bodies in the bone marrow. B. Blood donation is a relatively simple process that can save lives. C. We can trace our own blood supply from creation to transfusion; looking at how blood is created and used by the body, how blood is collected and donated and what happens to it after donation. So let’s get right to the marrow, inside the bones where it all begins.
II. A. According to the Puget Sound Blood Center, blood is produced by bone marrow inside your bones.
1. Three kinds of blood cells are produced inside the marrow: red blood cells, disease fighting white blood cells and blood clotting platelets. 2. From the bone marrow these cells enter the circulatory system by way of your blood vessels. 3. Here they are suspended in plasma, a watery liquid that makes up over half the total volume of blood. Plasma is actually 90% water which makes drinking your daily dose of water all the more important. 4. After the blood is made, it is pumped through your body, carrying oxygen to your cells and picking up waste products to be removed from the body while also helping fight disease, infections and even minor cuts and bruises. B. Now that your body is busy making plenty of blood, it can be donated. 1. Blood is needed every two seconds. It is estimated that 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood but less than 10% do so annually. 2. Who can donate? Depending on what state you live in and their age restrictions, those people who are 16 years old or older, weigh more than 110 pounds and