REALLY???? That has never come up as an issue for me. Of course I have always been sick during blood drives so I have never tried. But I have never had a member of the Red Cross at a Blood Drive tell me I can't donate because I am a diabetic. (Although they should make that more clear cuz sugar levels in the blood are a wee bit different than a normal person.)

But that blows my mind. I am gonna do some research. Be back soon. :p

ETA: Okay back.
Look at http://www.redcross.org/services/bio....html#diabetes
Diabetes mellitus
Acceptable two weeks after starting insulin.
Medications to lower your glucose level do not disqualify you from donating. Those who since 1980, received an injection of bovine (beef) insulin made from cattle from the United Kingdom are not eligible to donate. This requirement is related to concerns about variant CJD, or 'mad cow' disease. Learn more about variant CJD and blood donation.

So Emily, unless you are taking bovine insulin (rare these days...) you can donate. :D

My husband is like some of you. He has a very rare blood type (AB+ <4%) and frequently gets calls from the Blood Center (usually after he has had blood test for something) requesting he donate.

well one time he got a call and politely declined saying he was in a "high risk" group. I about choked on my drink when he said that. "What the hell do you mean you are in a high risk group?" I kinda yelled at him. "He said, you know I am. I am afraid of needles. Risk enough for me!" Milk about came out of my nose then. He is the only 33 year old man I have seen cry in the ER when he was told he had to have a tetnus shot. :)

It's a shame that this incident ever occured. But at least it has made ppl aware of donating blood.

on campus there are blood drives every month - my chapter volunteers every-other one to give out cookies and juice, set-up, etc.
many of the women are encouraged to give but many don't (from phobias of needles to piercings too recent)

I finally made it to one they were working last week...

I was denied - low iron. I felt horrible, almost cried. silly reason but it had been a couple years since I first gave blood and took a lot of courage to go back...

anyway, I guess that's off topic, but it just goes to show that giving blood is a very personal experience and the decision to donate is definitely up to the individual.

Actaully the Canadian Blood Services (who are in charge of blood donations here...not the red cross) say I cannot.

Canadian Blood Service Permanent Deferrals

:eek: I can just imagine what that looks like. For a person who does not like needles, I still want a tattoo :rolleyes:

:(
Well... at least it saves you from those nasty bruises I've seen people get after donating.

hahahaha, not really. I still have to give blood every three months. To my endocrinologist ;) And I bruise really easily.

true true... I "give" blood as well. :P

anyway... sorry... we kinda hijacked this thread.

The clause exists because transmission of AIDS between two men is much more likely to occur than man to woman, or woman to woman. That's not discriminatory, it's just facts. If you are a man having sex with a man, you have a higher RISK of contracting HIV. Doesn't mean all gay men have it, or anything like that. Just basic medical info.

Oh, yeah, and the news of Gamma Phi HQ's official apology has made the "breaking news" section of the Manchester (UK) Guardian's web site, so apparently there's international interest. (Not surprising, actually; concerns problems or potential problems with blood supplies are big deals almost everywhere.)

It's funny... I'm not afraid of blood. That (while gross), would not have bothered me nearly as much as the idea of having to give blood myself.

Back on topic... I have been forwarded the CNN link to this story more times than I care to talk about! Talk about bad PR! What a stupid girl.

Sorry if this has already been said, but this made the front page of CNN.com

I think it was assumed in the post right before yours...........

This really doesn't surprise me. I really hope that it makes the HQ of GLOs take a stance on this. Blood drive is a big deal at Pitt (I wouldn't mind giving if it didn't end up being a 3 hour long ordeal.... way too many people at once)- there's a points system. Just recently (i believe) they did away with deferral points. That meant that someone (for example, who just got a tattoo and knew they couldn't donate) would go, get interviewed and tested and all of that, only to get turned away so they could get a partial credit.

What a waste of time.

Living in a city with many hospitals and thousands of operating procedures going on every day, donating blood is a big deal.

Yay for everyone who gives blood and is proud of it, but it's really a personal decision and for anyone to bully someone into giving blood is just wrong. It seems weird to me that it's such an important thing on so many campuses -- it should be optional, and if you don't want to or can't give blood, you should have an opportunity to be of service in some other way. I wouldn't feel comfortable asking someone else to give blood in my place -- I don't think it's fair to ask someone to do what I wouldn't do myself.

This has me wondering about Greek Week events on campuses around the country -- what's the point of sororities and fraternities competing with each other, anyway?