Advertisement If you’re confused, don’t worry, I’m not claiming to be Clark Kent. I’m saying I’m mild-mannered Curt Trnka, blood donor.
I know, I know. Lame. Too bad. Deal with it.
I could bore you to death with statistics and reasons why people should give blood. I’ll try to hold back on that and instead just direct you to www.givelife.org, a Web site full of interesting facts about blood and why some people choose to donate.
All the statistics in the world aren’t likely to change the way you feel, though, are they?
No, if you’re at all like me — and by like me, I mean human — you see statistics, say, “huh, cool,” and go right back to what you were doing. Good call.
But when presented with a story, our reactions just might change.
I was a young, dumb high schooler when I first gave blood. My dad was my chemistry teacher, and he took five minutes out of class time to offer up why he thought it was important to donate blood.
Many of us were all ears, because when you are in a class, anything not related to that class becomes ridiculously interesting.
Well, he went on to say that a donation from one of us students could save a life.
I thought nothing profound at that moment. I simply told myself, “I can do that.”
I also most likely thought something along the lines of, “Will girls like me more because I donated blood?”
What really got me, the idea that pushed me past the fear of “What if it hurts?” (it really isn’t bad, by the way) was — who is receiving the blood?
My dad described it best. He said even though he doesn’t directly know the people his blood helps, he likes to think it might be a young mother with children in preschool — someone who has a lot to live for and only needs blood to keep living.
“I walk out of there, and I feel pretty good” about having helped someone he said.
Not many of us are going to have the chance to truly save another person’s life, and even if we were witness to an accident, a heck of a lot of us aren’t EMTs. By giving blood, you make a difference. Someone is going to be OK because you gave of yourself.
I’m sorry to get preachy here, but I can’t think of too many better activities that are so easy to fit into a day-to-day schedule.
If you are interested in giving blood, check out givelife.org. You can find upcoming blood drives in our area and schedule an appointment, although most places do not require one.
Also, if you just can’t wait to give blood, the American Legion in La Crescent, Minn., will host a blood drive from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesday.
Curt Trnka can be reached at ctrnka@lacrossetribune.com or by having snacks with him in the canteen after he gives blood in La Crescent.
