If those things are regulated and monitored accordingly those people can still donate blood. So, there are ways that you can donate, maybe you feel like you can’t donate.
One really big issue that we see in the black community is that sometimes people try to donate blood and then they’re deferred, meaning that they are turned away or told by a blood center that they can’t do it.
A lot of times those deferrals are temporary but people don’t realize that. Maybe their iron is low, maybe they skipped breakfast or didn’t have enough vegetables the week before and the iron levels are a little low.
So it’s always recommended that if someone is deferred temporarily, for low iron, for example, to go to their doctor what the issue may be with their iron and always come back and try again.
BDO: What does a patient who needs a blood transfusion go through?
Ashley Singleton: So let me also preface that by saying that it’s always important for sickle cell patients to talk to their hematologist or primary care physician. They have to make sure they have medically accurate information about blood transfusions. A lot of times people get these blood transfusions but they don’t really have a conversation with their doctors. So this thing is kind of happening to them with all the information.
And then sometimes providers don’t sit down and talk with their patients. It’s really important before anybody has a blood transfusion to talk to their provider ask them important questions, “what does a blood transfusion mean?” “What blood types do I have?” “Do I have antibodies in my blood? If so, what type?”
Learn that information from the provider and record that information however you like to record it. Use a sheet of paper or document it in a mobile app. It’s really important that each time a patient receives a blood transfusion that they track their medical history and keep it close to them.