A Canarian father with a daughter undergoing chemotherapy makes an urgent appeal for the donation of blood platelets through the social media: “Come donate. There are only two units of platelets left.”
The request for help has gone viral and, in the images, the father tells how his daughter Daniela is receiving chemo in the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC) and, that from the hospital center, they have informed him that the girl has very low platelets due to the treatment so it is necessary for you to receive a transfusion. “I make this video to make an appeal to people, both those who know me and those who can reach them. At the University Hospital of the Canary Islands platelet donation is urgent” asks the parent.
The father asks all those who have commented that in these difficult times they will be there that “one way to collaborate and help us in this process that we are going through is that as far as possible come donate platelets“. The man from Tenerife explains in the video that his daughter will receive the three units of platelets she needs for the transfusion, but he makes the urgent appeal because the University Hospital currently had only five units of platelets, and with Daniela’s transfusion, they would only remain two available for those who need them.
“I am sending this message so that they understand the importance of donating blood”, clarifies the man from Tenerife who prays, and is grateful that share your message to “call more people to collaborate with this cause”.
Who can donate platelets?
In principle, everyone who can donate blood can donate platelets. It is necessary to have between 18 and 70 years oldweigh more than 50 kiloshave good health and a good level of platelets within normal, above 200 to 250 thousand.
What are platelets for?
Platelets are used in preventive treatments to prevent brain hemorrhages. Recipients are patients who have a low level of platelets:
Hematological patients who do not produce enough platelets.
Patients with oncological treatments that produce platelet destruction.
Bone marrow transplant patients as a result of leukemia.
As a preventive treatment in diagnostic tests such as punctures to perform liver biopsies.
In some organ transplants.
Where to make the platelet donation?
Platelet donation is only performed in fixed collection points and in the hospitals of the Canarian Transfusion Network in Tenerife and Gran Canaria.