The blood-donation bus visits the west entrance of Palaceside Building again this year. The usual spring “outreach blood drive” is March 29 (Tue) and April 4 (Mon).
Palaceside Building holds outreach drives twice a year, spring and autumn (the photo is reception inside the west entrance on September 29, 2015). This time again, two days, not consecutive.
Both days, reception is 10:00–11:00 a.m. and 12:15–4:00 p.m. The draw itself takes about 10 minutes, but with a doctor’s interview it is 30–40 minutes from reception to finish.
Donors later receive by post (free) results for 15 items including ALT (GTP), γ-GTP, cholesterol and glycoalbumin.
The Red Cross asks donors for at least four hours’ sleep (fatigue from lack of sleep can cause a passing drop in blood pressure and feeling unwell after). Morning donors are asked to have breakfast (a light meal is fine).
People who “have had a transfusion or organ transplant,” “returned from abroad within four weeks,” or “had dental treatment with bleeding within three days” cannot donate. Anyone who may have HIV, or who wants a test, must not donate.
Some medicines bar donation; hay-fever drugs, except Celestamine and the like, can generally be taken the same day (steroid-containing drugs such as Celestamine are allowed if three or more days have passed since stopping). Blood-pressure drugs have been eased: two or more kinds are now OK (no heart complications, blood pressure roughly in the normal range). Some lipid-lowering drugs, vitamins (except anemia treatment with vitamins), minerals (except iron for anemia), Kampo (except for liver disease, colds, asthma and the like) may be taken the same day; uric-acid drugs and sleep medicines are allowed if not taken that day. For other questions, ask on the day.
Please, as many as possible, help.