Russell Williams
Well-Known Member
Findings:
The Cumberland area Red Cross blood collection department has some tables that will handle 300 pound people some that will handle 350 pound people and some that will handle 400 pound people. There is no organized way of knowing in advance which tables will be sent to which blood collection sites. If a person who is beyond the capacity of the table has given blood in the past and wishes to give blood again, at the discretion of the nurse in charge, that person may be allowed to give blood while sitting in a chair provided by the site where the blood donation is occurring. For those people who do not know what they weigh a determination is made by the nurse in charge as to whether or not they will be allowed to give blood. It is not yet known if these rules and situations apply across the United States.
Suggestions for improvement:
I pointed out that the average American is getting fatter and therefore Red Cross donation sites may expect to encounter more and more larger people seeking to donate blood. Depending on the life expectancy of the tables it might make sense to purchase large capacity tables when future tables are purchased.
History of the Situation:
At a recent meeting of an organization of area religious leaders representatives of the American Red Cross came and encouraged the religious leaders present to encourage more people to give blood and to create more sites where blood can be donated. The Red Cross representatives pointed out that in the past among a certain segment of the population there was a tradition of giving blood on a regular basis. Fewer people now carry on that tradition. I mentioned that I had once been contacted by a fat person who was told that, because they weighed over 300 pounds they were not allowed to give blood. The representatives of the Red Cross stated that that is still a problem they battle with and they would appreciate it if somebody else would contact the Cumberland area headquarters and discuss the matter. A phone number was given out (1- 800 54 blood) and I volunteered to make some phone calls. As I called I was not being taken seriously until I came up with the question that would make them sit up and pay attention. I am a leader in the fat acceptance movement. If I were to show up at a blood donation site with five or six people who weighed between 300 and 450 pounds what would happen? At that point the person I was talking to told me that he would find out who knew the answers to my questions and that they would get back to me. They did.
The Cumberland area Red Cross blood collection department has some tables that will handle 300 pound people some that will handle 350 pound people and some that will handle 400 pound people. There is no organized way of knowing in advance which tables will be sent to which blood collection sites. If a person who is beyond the capacity of the table has given blood in the past and wishes to give blood again, at the discretion of the nurse in charge, that person may be allowed to give blood while sitting in a chair provided by the site where the blood donation is occurring. For those people who do not know what they weigh a determination is made by the nurse in charge as to whether or not they will be allowed to give blood. It is not yet known if these rules and situations apply across the United States.
Suggestions for improvement:
I pointed out that the average American is getting fatter and therefore Red Cross donation sites may expect to encounter more and more larger people seeking to donate blood. Depending on the life expectancy of the tables it might make sense to purchase large capacity tables when future tables are purchased.
History of the Situation:
At a recent meeting of an organization of area religious leaders representatives of the American Red Cross came and encouraged the religious leaders present to encourage more people to give blood and to create more sites where blood can be donated. The Red Cross representatives pointed out that in the past among a certain segment of the population there was a tradition of giving blood on a regular basis. Fewer people now carry on that tradition. I mentioned that I had once been contacted by a fat person who was told that, because they weighed over 300 pounds they were not allowed to give blood. The representatives of the Red Cross stated that that is still a problem they battle with and they would appreciate it if somebody else would contact the Cumberland area headquarters and discuss the matter. A phone number was given out (1- 800 54 blood) and I volunteered to make some phone calls. As I called I was not being taken seriously until I came up with the question that would make them sit up and pay attention. I am a leader in the fat acceptance movement. If I were to show up at a blood donation site with five or six people who weighed between 300 and 450 pounds what would happen? At that point the person I was talking to told me that he would find out who knew the answers to my questions and that they would get back to me. They did.
