UNYTS Blog

Upstate New York Transplant Services offers a rare opportunity to drop the books for 45 minutes and save some lives.  If you saw your friend in trouble, your first instinct would be to help.   In the effort to jazz up the monotonous school day why not take some time to donate blood, join a group or listen to a presentation; all of which has to do with saving lives! 

Students between the ages of 16-18 make up 40% of our presenting blood donors.  We are counting on you for your help. 

I know being your age it’s hard to believe that you could actually make that big of a difference, but you can! 

• Donate Blood – in just 45 minutes you could save up to 3 local lives!  How many other times do you get the opportunity to save someone’s life?
• Join a Donate Life Group – raise awareness in your school and community on organ, eye, tissue, and community blood donation.  Educating people is the number one step to making sure we have enough donors to meet the needs of transplants and hospitals.
• Volunteer – Take some time at your school’s blood drive to help at the refreshment table or show your friends how to become fans of UNYTS-Donate Life on Facebook.

UNYTS is now on Facebook and Twitter!  So if you’re feeling a bit uneasy about the idea of a blood drive, or want to know all the responsibilities of joining the Donate Life Group, just ask!  On Facebook and Twitter your questions are answered and you can communicate with other students that may have been in your shoes.  Chances are someone else has the same question you do.  It’s a great way to find out what to expect and what UNYTS is up to.  Join us by going to www.facebook.com/unyts.

It’s understandable that some of you are a little hesitant to donate blood because it may scare you.  If donating blood is something foreign to you that you don’t really know a lot about of course it’s going to be scary!  Truthfully, it’s not that frightening.  The most you may feel is a little pinch.  If you pinch yourself right now it’s something you can handle, right?  If you’re worried about passing out, be sure to take preventable measures.  Make sure you’re prepared before your donation.  Eat a good sized meal beforehand and drink lots of fluids.  What you have to ask yourself is if saving 3 lives is worth 10 minutes of minor discomfort?  If it’s something you’re not ready to handle right now you can still make a difference through volunteering.  Volunteer at the refreshment table for an hour of your school’s blood drive and maybe once you see how easy it is, it won’t scare you as much.

If your school has a Donate Life Group that’s awesome!  It’s a great place for you to learn and help educate your peers and community, not to mention making new friends.  If you don’t have a Donate Life Group, you can still learn about organ, eye, tissue and blood donation by having a presenter come to your school.

You can make a difference in your community!  Are you ready to start helping your neighbors? 

It’s a great year to save lives!

Learn more about your education and donation opportunities at www.unyts.org .

I donated Platelet Pheresis for the first time a couple weeks ago at the DeGraff Memorial Hospital Neighborhood Donation Center.  Actually, it was my first time donating anything.  I had always wanted to donate but I am REALLY scared of needles.  I don’t mind once the needle is in, but the initial “needle prick” is terrifying to me.  I knew I needed to face my fear so I decided to donate platelets, which is about a 2 hour long process.  I wanted to donate platelets first because I knew if I could get through that, I could donate whole blood which is only about a 10 minute draw.  So I prepared myself.  I am lactose intolerant and reactions are higher in calcium-deficient people so I braved a milkshake the night before and drank lots of fluids the morning of my donation.  I was worried about a lot of things; my iron would be too low, I would get a reaction, the needle would really hurt, etc. 

Like I usually do, I got myself all worked up for no reason.  As soon I walked into the Donation Center, I was very reassured.  I explained that this was my first time donating anything and the staff was wonderful; explaining the process, staying with me the entire time, and always making sure I was comfortable.  I had brought my boyfriend along for moral support and they let him sit a little ways away from me.  As I donated we watched The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.  They knew I was scared of the needle going in so they had me look away as they put it in my arm.  I felt a little pinch but nothing enough to even mention.  I also learned a lot about Pheresis donation that I didn’t know before. 

There are seven cycles in a Pheresis donation.  They only use one arm but it’s a double needle.  So each cycle has two parts.  There is the draw and the return.  The draw takes your blood out and the return gives you back your plasma, red blood cells, and something called saline.  I did great during the draw but during the returns I did get a bit nauseous.  The staff made me promise that I wouldn’t “power through” and I would stop and let them know if I wasn’t feeling well.  They gave me a couple of Tums to help with my calcium-deficiency and I felt better.

I was always so scared that if I donated I wouldn’t feel well or the needle would be too much, so I had never even tried.  Tons of things can happen to you but you need to take risks to get rewards.  After I donated, I felt amazing.  I was so proud I called my mom and told her I just helped to save someone and my platelets might go to someone with cancer, which was really meaningful for me.  The needle wasn’t even that big of a deal.  It was a second of discomfort to save someone.  I just kept telling myself that people need this to survive and I am able to give it to them.  I would suggest that everyone try to donate at least once and just see how it goes.  After all, aren’t new experiences what life is all about?

There are almost 200 people waiting for a kidney in the Buffalo area right now.  While a majority of the time the need for a kidney transplant comes from genetic or unpreventable circumstances, sometimes living a healthy life or lack thereof, can lead to kidney failure.  Not living a healthy life can affect you and your body in so many different ways, including your kidneys.

Kidneys are located on either side of your spine, just below your diaphragm and behind your liver and stomach.  Their primary function is to remove waste from your body through urine production.  They also assist in regulating blood pressure, blood volume, and the chemical composition of your blood.  Renal failure occurs when your kidneys are no longer able to remove wastes and maintain electrolyte balance.  Kidney transplants may involve one or both kidneys; both kidneys if the donor is deceased and one if the donor is living.

Hypertensive Nephrosclerosis (caused by high blood pressure) and Diabetes (type 2 – blood sugar levels higher than usual) are some of the leading causes of kidney failure in the Buffalo region.  Some ways to prevent high blood pressure are (1) Maintaining a healthy weight, (2) Getting regular exercise, (3) Reducing your salt intake, (4) Drinking alcohol in moderation, and (5) Reducing your stress.  Some of these preventative measures go hand-in-hand.  Drinking in moderation, exercising and limiting your salt will all help you maintain a healthy weight, whereas exercising will help you reduce your stress. 

Diabetes can cause a heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and other health complications.  The most common form of diabetes is Type 2.  There are ways to help prevent diabetes even if you are “high-risk.”  The first thing that will help is losing about 5-7 lbs; this will help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.  Exercise and a healthy diet will lend a hand in preventing diabetes.  30 minutes of exercise a couple times a week can go a long way, as will eating whole grains, fish, poultry, and fruits and vegetables.

Sticking to a healthy lifestyle is not an easy thing, but just remember that moderation is your friend.  Moderate exercise, moderate eating, moderate alcohol…moderation, moderation, moderation.

It’s all the craze these days, so why not join in?  Tips and guidelines to a healthy lifestyle are all over your TV, computer and radio.  Why is eating healthy, exercising and taking care of yourself so important?  Better lifestyle habits reduce your risk for heart disease, diabetes and more.  In some cases people need organ transplants due to birth defects, but there are others who need transplants because of heart disease, cirrhosis, type 2 diabetes and other normally preventable diseases.  Coronary Artery disease, otherwise known as Heart Disease, is the number one killer in America, affecting more than 13 million Americans.     Currently there are about 2,875 people waiting for a life-saving heart transplant in the United States.

Ways to prevent Heart Disease

• Don’t smoke or use tobacco products.  We know it’s hard but you’ll feel better in the long run and there is plenty of support out there to help you.
• Get Active!  No one says you have to go out and run a marathon, but try doing small things like taking the stairs instead of the elevator or walking an extra 10 minutes when walking the dog.
• Eat a healthy diet – cut some fat out of your diet and add some fruits and vegetables!  Did you know that many fruits and vegetables not only help prevent heart disease, but also may help prevent cancer?   ALSO, AVOID TRANS FAT AT ALL COSTS.
• Get regular health screenings – Prevention pays!  Heart disease if often avoidable.  This will help you monitor your blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Remember, heart disease kills.  Take preventable action before it’s too late.