Every little bit counts: Donate blood to save lives

The Lantern Festival marks the end of the Spring Festival and the start of a new year. Aside from eating tangyuan and admiring lanterns, doing something warm and meaningful will surely make it more significant to kick off the new year.

According to the Shanghai Blood Center, the city needs some 1,500 units of blood each day to meet the clinical needs. However, as many people are on holiday break, blood-collecting has become a challenging task especially in this chilly weather.

City News Service, joined by Bloodline, an NGO, will host a blood donation event at the Shanghai Blood Center on February 5, the Lantern Festival, from 10am to 3pm. Donors will get a bouquet of seasonal flowers, a rabbit lantern and a pastry set on the day. See you there!

元宵节意味着春节的结束，也标志着新一年的开始。除了吃汤圆、赏花灯之外，做一件暖心事来开启新的一年未尝不是一个更有意义的选择。

据统计，这座城市每天需要募集约1500人份血液，才能基本满足临床用血需求。春节期间，天气寒冷，上海街头人流量下降，血液募集工作面临更大挑战。

City News Service将携手公益组织Bloodline于2月5日元宵节当天10点至15点，在上海市血液中心举办公益献血活动。每位献血者都将获得由主办方送出的一束鲜花、兔子灯和精美甜点一份。期待您的到来！

Before donating blood

• Get a good night's sleep, have a nutritious diet, and drink enough water.
• Avoid donating blood on an empty stomach. Have a light meal.
• If you have a medical condition and/or are taking medication, do not make the donation.
• Be aware of the basics of blood donation.
• Maintain a calm demeanor and follow the procedures and volunteers on the site.

After donating blood

• Press the needle eye with your fingers and rest for 10-15 minutes. After that, you can have snacks on site.
• Keep the needle eye clean and dry. Within 48 hours after the donation, avoid strenuous exercise using that particular arm.
• Drink more water and have iron-rich food. It is not necessary to consume a heavy meal.
• A very small fraction of blood donors experience dizziness after blood donation, which can be eased by sitting or lying down for a few minutes.
• There might be bruise around the needle eye if not pressed properly, but it will disappear within days or a few weeks. Cold and hot compresses can speed up recovery. A cold compress can be used for the first 24 hours, while a hot compress works after 24 hours.