Brazilian Experience seeks to provide not only an experience that will improve our student’s professional resume but also provide them with meaningful life lessons and experiences. That is why we would like to encourage all of you staying in Curitiba, to donate blood and give a little back to Curitiba’s community! Of course the decision regarding donating or not is totally up to you, your beliefs and flexibility. Our goal is to make this option a little bit easier to access!

We have written down some information about how to donate, where and how the whole process works! Remember:  we are one hundred percent available in case you have any questions or suggestions!

We will be at Hemepar on the 24 of July , from 04:30 pm until 6:30 pm to help whoever wants to give blood!

Don’t forget to bring the original copy of your Passport, please!

They will do an short interview with the prospect donners to know a little more information regarding background and health history, so you might need help with the translation. Someone from Brazilian Experience can help with that if you feel comfortable.

The Hematology and Hemotherapy Center of Paraná (HEMEPAR) is a unit of the State Department of Health. It is responsible for the collection, storage, processing, transfusion and distribution of blood to 384 public, private and philanthropic hospitals operating in all regions of Paraná, the State where Curitiba is located at.

It is a non-profit organization and meets the state’s demand for blood and blood products from volunteer donations. Giving is the only way to save the lives of thousands, because there is no substitute for blood!

If you want to donate too but won’t be able to join us on that date, we can provide a list of places where you can go to give blood as well, but remember they will hold an interview with each one who wants to donate, so is better if you have someone to accompany you.

WHAT IS NECESSARY TO GIVE?

• Be in good general health.
• Be rested.
• Be between the ages of 16 and 69.
• Weigh more than 50 kg (110 pounds).
• Be fed, have a light meal before giving blood. Remember you should not be fasting.  Just make sure to avoid greasy food in the 4 hours before the donation. Wait 2 hours after lunch break.
• Have a healthy lifestyle and do not behave in a risky way. (See: “WHO CAN NOT GIVE” for more details)
• Carry official document with photo issued by official body (RG, Driver’s License, Passport, Professional Identity Card and Work Portfolio).

Respect the minimum interval between donations:

Donation Interval:

Men: 2 months (4 annual donations)

Women: 3 months (3 annual donations)

WHO CAN NOT GIVE?

Who does not fit the conditions described in basic requirements and those described in temporary and definitive impediments.

During clinical donor screening, Hemobanco adopts The National Safety Standards, which aim to protect both the donor and the recipient. When there are situations not described in here, these will be defined by a physician and / or nurse at the time of their clinical screening.

Temporary Impediments to donation:

•  Flu or cold: wait 7 days after healing;
• Diarrhea: wait 7 days after healing;
• During pregnancy: 90 days after normal delivery
  and 180 days after cesarean section;
• Breastfeeding: if childbirth has occurred less than
  12 months before;
• Have been vaccinated for less than 30 days;
• Tattooing in the last 12 months;
• Piercing in the last 12 months (piercing
  genital and oral, 12 months after withdrawal);
• Dental treatment: period varies from 1 to 7 days;
• Situations in which there was a greater risk of acquiring
  sexually transmitted diseases: wait 12 months;
• Intake of alcoholic beverage in the 12 hours before the donation;
• Travel to endemic cities (which have dengue epidemic, zika,
  chikungunya and yellow fever) in the last 30 days.

Permanent Impediments to donation:

• Clinical or laboratory evidence of the following
  diseases transmissible by blood: Hepatitis B and C,
  AIDS virus, HTLV I / II associated diseases and
  Chagas disease;
• Viral hepatitis after the age of 10;
• Insulin-dependent diabetes;
• Epilepsy or seizure;
• Leprosy;
• Chronic kidney disease;
• History of neoplasias (Câncer);
• History of stroke (Stroke);
• Use of illicit injecting drugs.

STEPS TO DONATE:

• Register:

The clerk will consult if the donor is released or prevented from donating and will request some personal data.

It is indispensable to present an official document with photo (RG, driver’s license, professional card, passport etc.).

• Screening:

It covers the confidential interview and measurement of blood pressure, pulse, temperature, weight, height and hemoglobin dosage (where a few drops of blood are drawn). It is the most important process in the maintenance of transfusional quality, since it is the stage in which the donation or the recipient’s level of risk is defined.

• Self Exclusion Vote:

It is the ultimate opportunity for the donor to assess whether their blood can actually be used. If there are risks or doubts, the donor should respond that your blood can NOT be used for transfusion. This information will only be linked to the donation in the fractionation stage, thus avoiding any exposure of the donor to their companions or employees.

• Blood Collection:

Blood is collected using fully disposable, sterile, single use material. The procedure is performed by highly trained and safety professionals. The donation lasts about 10 minutes. About 450 ml of blood and samples will be collected for mandatory laboratory tests.

• Snacks:

After the donation, the donor will be referred for a snack and must remain in the blood bank for approximately 15 minutes, leaving only if you are feeling well.

WHAT HAPPENS TO DONATED BLOOD AFTER THE DONATION?

The blood will be fractionated into several components such as: Blood cells, Plasma, Platelets or Cryoprecipitate. Samples of blood collected will be sent to perform immunohistochemical tests (ABO / Rh Classification, Irregular Antibody Search and Identification, Solubility Test for Hemoglobin S) and Serological Tests (HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Chagas, Syphilis, HTLV I and II). Blood that has negative serological results will be properly labeled and released for distribution and transfusion. If any of the tests shows signs of alteration  the sample is unsuitable, the collected blood can not be used and the donor will be summoned to return to Hemobanco for guidelines and repetition of the tests.

CARE AFTER DONATION

• Stay in the blood bank for 15 minutes to rest.
• Leave the Blood Bank only if you are feeling well.
• Drink plenty of fluids and avoid drinking alcoholic beverages on the day of donation.
• Do not smoke for 1 hour after donating.
• Do not bend your arm for 10 minutes and do not lift weight in the next 4 hours.
• Avoid physical exertion or play sports for at least 12 hours thereafter.
• If you present an infectious process symptom, such as fever and diarrhea, within 7 days of donation immediately report Hemobanco.
• If you feel that your blood can not be used and you did not mention it at any point in the donation process, contact us and request that your blood be discarded. Disposal is confidential and very important for ensuring transfusion safety.

ADVERSE REACTIONS

Immediate reactions

• Feeling of fainting
•  Sweat
• Tingling of hands and feet
•  Blurry vision
• Vomiting
• Fainting and very rarely seizures

Late reactions

• Hematoma: extravasation of blood at the puncture site.
• Paresthesia: Tingling of the arm and hand due to puncture of the nerve.
• Vagal reaction: Cold sweat, pallor, weakness, fainting.
• Tetany: Tingling of the hand and spasms (cramping type).
• Hypotension: Blood pressure drop.
• Nausea and vomiting.