We were excited to be able to organize again, for the first time since the pandemic, the Voluntary Blood Donation Day at A.Hatzopoulos S.A.
This day, dedicated to saving human lives, took place in our facilities last month in collaboration with the Ippokratio Hospital of Thessaloniki. We cordially thank our people for exhibiting such caring spirit, contributing zealously to the initiative! It is said that human blood transfusion is the only form of treatment that cannot be manufactured. Blood donors can only be considered as modern heroes. Thanks to the participation of our heroes, we collected 57 units of blood, surpassing all previous records!
Congratulations to all Hatzopoulos’ life savers!
Interesting Blood Donation Benefits *
1. Giving blood can reveal potential health problems
Donating blood can be another way to keep an eye on your cardiovascular health. You’ll receive a mini-physical prior to the blood draw, in which someone will check your pulse, blood pressure, body temperature, hemoglobin and more. This can sometimes shed light on issues you didn’t even know about. An occasional check up on your blood quality could be the key to spotting a health issue before it becomes life-threatening.
2. Giving blood can reduce harmful iron stores
One in every two hundred people in the U.S. is affected by a condition called hemochromatosis; a disease that causes an iron overload and is labeled as one of the most common genetic diseases. Blood donation is recommended as a way to reduce the body’s extra iron stores.
3. Giving blood may lower your risk of suffering a heart attack
You might be surprised to discover that there may be heart health benefits to giving blood. Donating blood at least once a year could reduce your risk of a heart attack by 88 percent, according to the American Journal of Epidemiology.
4. Giving blood may reduce your risk of developing cancer
In an average, completely healthy person, the link between giving blood and decreased cancer risk is slim. But research does support a reduced risk of cancer for blood donors with different maladies, one of which is hemochromatosis. Phlebotomy (the process of drawing blood) was found to be associated with lower cancer risk and mortality, according to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
5. Giving blood can help your liver stay healthy
Research has linked too much iron with NAFLD, Hepatitis C and other liver diseases and infections. Though there are many other factors involved in these problems, donating blood can help relieve some of those iron stores and avoid extra issues in your liver.
6. Giving blood can help your mental state
While there are several physical benefits to donating blood, the most powerful health benefit is arguably in the psychological realm. Donating blood means that someone (or multiple people) somewhere will be getting the help they desperately need. This kind of interaction has major psychological benefits. Getting out of your usual environment to do something good for someone else is stimulating in the best kind of way. Volunteering has been shown to have positive effects on happiness. In people over 65-years-old, volunteering also reduces the risk of depression and loneliness.
When you roll up your sleeve and sit down in that chair, you know you’re making a difference—and that makes you feel good!
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* Read more:
https://www.rasmussen.edu/degrees/health-sciences/blog/surprising-health-benefits-of-donating-blood/