Calling all residents of Panama (Expat & Nationals)! Sadly, Panama has the lowest voluntary blood donation rate of all of the Americas, thus our blood banks are constantly running out of, or become dangerously low on all blood types. You can help both change the misunderstandings and superstitions many hold in regards to blood donations at the same time as helping build the levels of our Blood Banks by donating during this Clinic sponsored by the National Health Program and the Children's Hospital Blood Donation Foundation (known as FUGSAVINI). All residents between the ages of 18 and 65, as well as those over 65 & deemed healthy enough to donate by the attending physician, while meeting the requirements as outlined in the "Do's & Don'ts" outline attached are needed; please consider attending.
This Blood Donor Clinic can be found on the second floor in the "Kangaroo Area" of Albrook Mall from 10:00am to 4:00pm, very close to the "BROOKLYN STORE". Donors are able to access this easily by entering the mall through the Kangaroo, Elephant, and Penguin doors.
Attached is the list of "
Do's & Don'ts" regarding the ability to donate in Panama, but it is important to note that one small item which has resulted in several unobtainable pints of blood is to know that donors who have taken certain medications within the previous 24 hours, including Aspirin, are not able to donate. If you are on medication yet still want to donate, please be sure to bring a list of the medications you are on, and avoid taking Aspirin (or similar medication) for 24 hours before arriving to donate.
ADDITIONAL IMPORTANT NOTE: IT IS TIME TO UPDATE, RE-VERIFY, AND ADD TO THE "BLOOD FOR EVERYONE" EMERGENCY CALL LIST,
Please join us at the Expat Happy Hour Social starting at 7:00pm on Monday, June 13th at Monoco restaurant on Calle 48 in Marbella (near Calle Uruguay) where our"Keeper of the List" - American Society and Expat Explorer member, Karen Barnett, will be in attendance to update, re-verify, and accept new entrants to the Emergency Blood Donor Call List.
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Your help would be greatly appreciated. As a side note, and directly in regards to the last paragraph above, we had another Emergency Blood Donor call just last week. The story proves how all of us working together can save lives. David Young, editor of Newsroom Panama, received a call from a desperate Uncle of a newborn baby who was needing blood at Hospital Del Nino; David immediately passed the information on to us, and in less than one hour, our Emergency Call List Volunteers had donors ready to go in. Last word was that the baby was recovering and resting peacefully in and incubator at the hospital. Thank you, David!
Sincerely,
Laura
