Donating blood while on AI ???

goodrhue

There was an earlier post on this which I looked up a few months ago - when I was told I couldn't give blood until 1 year after treatments ended (and they said that meant chemo and radiation), and it referenced many of the same sites listed here.  I too was seriously bummed! 

But, I liked the advice I saw there:  for blood donation, ask the blood bank or hospital (like Red Cross, etc.), and then make your own decision.  For organ donation, leave the donor sticker on your license, and let the doctors and family members of the person in need of an organ decide if they will use your organs - they will have your medical history and they can decide not to use it if they think the cancer risk is too high! I like giving THEM the choice rather than me deciding ahead of time that no-one would want any of part of my body. 

I have a friend with a 16-year old daughter in need of a liver transplant and she is very low on the priority list.  I suspect she would gladly take a liver from a long-time breast cancer survivor for her daughter, who may experience brain damage if she doesn't get a liver soon enough. I don't like that people might have to make those kinds of choices, but they do, and I think it's their choice, not mine. 

And, here's hoping it will be a very LONG time before my organs are available and they will have figured out how to handle all of this by then! 

Analemma

I donated platelets just a month before my dx, and my pathology report said extensive vascular invasion.  I've always worried about who might have gotten platelets from me, with BC cells in them.  I was also told I couldn't donate blood, platelets, or organs.  That was a bummer.  I have donated my body to medical science after I'm gone, though.  Just hate to be wasteful.

Roya

Anelemma, sending you a pm

Jayaytea

There is a shortage of blood in Canada right now, and I contacted Canadian Blood Services, who the Red Cross referred me too.

They told me that anyone with any kind of cancer diagnosis is not eligible at this time, until they know more about the consequences. I didn't even get to the Arimidex factor!

SpecialK

You can leave the organ donation designation - trust me, organ donation institutions take an extensive history when deciding whether or not to use your body parts.  Generally I believe they can use corneas and skin from breast cancer patients, but not the regular organs.  Most places outside of the U.S. will not allow blood donation from anyone who has had cancer, but within the U.S, it is up to the regional agency collecting the donated blood.  In some cases you can donate again if you have had breast cancer, but I would ask you to carefully consider it.  I worked in transfusion services when I was diagnosed - and had my BMX in the hospital I worked in.  During the course of my work there I saw who the patients are that receive blood.  They are elderly, frail, anemic, having major surgery, cancer patients, and babies.  If you had a newborn would you want it to receive a transfusion from someone who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and had chemotherapy?  What about a breast cancer patient, in the middle of chemotherapy - they receive transfusions all the time - would you want them to receive your blood?  They are already immunosuppressed and you can't guarantee there are not breast cancer cells in your blood.  All we are told is that there is "no evidence of disease" but imaging can't see anything until it reaches a certain size, and there are folks who have recurrence with normal tumor markers.  There are no testing processes to screen for cancer cells in donor testing for the blood supply.  I donated regularly prior to diagnosis - but I won't ever again.  If you want to contribute I would urge you to volunteer your time, give your money, but think carefully about donating your blood.

Kicks

Here in the States, it is possible for some of us to donate blood after a cancer DX - at least not too long ago when I last donated.  Basically, you have to be at least 2 yrs out of TX (estrogen blockers are not considered to be TX but therapy and are OK).  Some types of cancers are excluded from donating ever if they are blood related types (like leukemia, etc.).  Once you are 2 yrs out of TX for BC as long as you have not had recurrences or mets and can pass the other requirements.

Kicks

Organ donation - I was told that you can go ahead and sign up for it.  Not all parts can be used after a cancer DX can be used but I definately remember that corneas can be.  When the time comes - the Drs can decide what, if anything, can be used.

There are no tests that can tell what cancer cells could be 'floating around' in anyone's blood rather or not they have had a DX.  My immune system is quite strong and I have never been close to being anemic in my life.  So yes - I will donate as it just might keep someone alive.  The first time I donated, I was 15 so technically it was illegal and they knew my age but every one in the area that could donate had already been drawn (some twice).  There was a helio on the way with more but they didn't think the girl could last til it touched down -so I got 'drafted'.