Leading by example...

I have always tried to lead by example and give back to society in every way I possibly can. Back in 2008, I signed up as a blood donor and began donating. The experience was perhaps not the most enchanting. Let me reflect upon how I feel about blood and needles...Even though I am training to be a student nurse, I do not necessarily like needles or the sight of blood. Sometimes, I have felt queasy and faint around these two...which is not good for a student nurse! So, when on my placement in my first year, I have immersed myself in opportunities of observing injections, giving injections, shadowing venepuncture procedures and anything that involves bodily fluids. I am attempting to overcome my anxiety and perhaps psychological fear. This is something I worry about greatly and I am facing my anxiety head on and working to overcome my fears and with time and practice hopefully become at ease around needles and blood. Not in every situation has this occurred, therefore I am working on my own area to develop...psychologically challenging my inner self!

Now, heading back to the giving blood experience, I do not like the feel or sensation of receiving a needle, however, I felt the process of donating and helping save lives was much more important. As I have a rarer blood type, I feel even more so committed to helping give back. As a student nurse, I will no doubt come across blood transfusions in my time of practice, therefore we need to be donating and help support the cause of saving lives. 

After reading an emotional article about one man's journey of battling cancer and trying to find a bone marrow donor match to save his life. This ignited lots of internal emotions, thoughts and feelings within myself and enabled me to reflect on why am I not on the list. I could be a potential match for an individual whose life is threatened and I can make the difference through enrolling on the bone marrow donor list. The application was slightly more detailed than I had anticipated and the eligibility to become a donor is quite stringent. However, through spending 10 minutes of my time completing the application, I instantly felt overwhelmed that I was doing the right thing. Now, becoming a bone marrow donor is not always an easy or quick decision to be made, if you are a potential match, the procedure you must go through could be painful and take up a lot of your time, however, I feel the fact that you have the opportunity to potentially save a persons life outweighs all the small discomforts to my life. A week later, I received a test kit which was simple to follow and I literally had to just spit into it, pop it back in the envelope and return in the post. A couple of weeks later I received confirmation that I was now an official donor on the UK stem cell register and I felt instantly proud. I now have my own donor card which sit comfortably in my purse and I feel proud to be within the nursing profession as a student nurse and actively promote the need to reach out to other potential individuals who could help save lives. I do wish I had registered years ago but now that I am donor, I am going to help promote becoming a donor and highlight the work that is done by the brilliant Anthony Nolan charity. 

Now, as I work away on my two assignments, one due tomorrow and another in four weeks time...I feel happy and proud to spread the word and express a thought to ponder upon...all other student nurses if you are eligible; why are you not on the list? I do understand it is personal preference and I respect every individual has a choice, however within a profession that strives to provide care and compassion, shouldn't we be leading by example and become involved in any project or initiative that can potentially save a life. 

So proud to now be a registered donor