ATTENTION GETTER: Would it surprise you if I told you that each and every one of you could save 18 lives every year? Well this statement is very true.
B. THESIS: Tonight I am going to persuade you to become a blood donor.
C. CREDIBILITY: I am an active blood donor. I try to donate blood every 8 weeks because it makes me feel good to know that I am playing an active role in saving peoples lives. .
D. SIGNIFICANCE: You may be asking me why I am trying to persuade you to donate blood. Did you know that someone needs a blood transfusion every 2 to 3 seconds and 95% of all American's will need a blood transfusion sometime in our lives (Red Cross web site). That means that you, your family, and your peers would need the support of volunteer blood donors. .
E. PREVIEW: Tonight I am going to discuss the need for blood donations, some solutions that can increase blood donations, and the actions that need to be taken to increase blood donations.
II. BODY.
A. Need for blood donations.
1. Number who donate has fallen over the past five years; demand has grown annually.
a. If this trend continues in a year or two there will be chronic shortages.
2. The health care system cannot function with out an adequate supply of whole blood.
a. Blood is the health care what oil is to transportation.
b. When there is not enough the whole system comes to a grinding halt.
c. Surgeons cannot perform transplants and joint replacements.
d. Birth mom's are at high risk if they need a Cesarean section.
e. Those getting many forms of cancer treatment or treatment for severe injuries risk death.
f. Some examples of how much blood is needed for certain things (Blood Source web site). .
1. Open heart surgery up to 40 pints.
2. Bleeding ulcer 3 to 20 pints.
3. Fractured hip/joint replacement 2 to 20 pints.
4. Brain surgery 4 to 20 pints.
5. Automotive accident up to 50 or more pints.
6. Organ transplant up to 100 or more pints.
3. On any given day patients in the US need 34,000 units of blood.