Blood donation

Yesterday (August 2, 2007) one of my relatives had to go through a surgical operation. It was not a simple one cause it had to do with the heart and the blood vessels neat it. Thankfully everything is OK and he is recovering from the intervention. The hospital personal told me and my relatives that they had used some of their blood reserves for the operation so the doctors kindly asked us to donate some blood at the Blood Donation Centre (BDC) in Sofia. We agreed.

So today I went to the BDC and donated 500 ml. It was a pretty simple procedure and for the very first time I got a proof that my blood type is “0”. I also had a gift from the personal: a jar of chocolate, about 10 chocolate bars and energy drinks.

What was most stunning of my experience was that at the entrance of the centre were waiting a dozen citizens (most of them gypsies). Yes, they were waiting to donate blood but they were also expecting a donation of some kind – payment. Some surgical interventions require more blood and some times rare blood types such as B negative. In order to perform the operation doctors need relatives to donate blood. So these people offer their blood for money – kind of sick a? As I was approaching the entrance of the BDC few of them came to me and asked me if I am looking for donators… well, for a second just imagine that I really needed. Then I should have paid EUR 400 for 3 donators to come and donate some blood. As you probably guess this is an organized scheme and is coordinated by few men. They find the donators and then give ‘em a share keeping some profit for them. I am sure that one day these men will have to give all of their money for medical treatment paying for these crimes. If they can escape the police, for sure they will not escape their karma.