Blood Donation.

To the Editor:

I read your Editor's Note regarding organ donation (February 2000) with interest, as I have made my wishes known that my organs should be donated upon my death. But why wait until death to be a role model? There are needed donations that can save countless lives and that can be done before death. I am speaking of blood, platelet, and bone marrow donations.

I take time from my practice every other week to donate platelets and once per year to donate whole blood. Through my blood bank, I joined the bone marrow registry. No, I do not have relatives or friends in need of these donations, but I have seen enough patients in my 20 years of practice to know my meager donations do help.

As with organ donations, only a small percentage ([is less than] 5%) of the eligible populace (approximately 60% of the population) donates blood. Although only a few donate, more than 95% of the population will require blood or a blood product during their lifetimes.

As health care professionals, we need to sign our donor cards and then tell those we love that we want our organs donated after we die. But let us also be role models while we are living, practicing (or retired) health care professionals: Get in the habit of making regular donations at your blood bank (and while that life-giving needle is in your arm, sign up with the bone marrow registry).

Paul D Hansen, PT, PhD
Fircrest Physical Therapy
1105 Regents Blvd, Suite C
Fircrest, WA 98466
([e-mail])