Trust Yourself - One Strong Belief

I'm up to the third prompt ( or day 3 ) of the Domino Project's #Trust30 initiative. Todays prompt is:

The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family? What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?

Rather than write about some abstract theory of belief, or a moral value that i hold dear, i'm going to nominate two words: blood donation. Blood donation is my thing, the cause that i choose to champion. I've done so here before and i'll do it again - donating blood has got to be the easiest way of volunteering, of giving back to your community, of helping your fellow man. And, frankly, i cant understand why more people dont do it.

We've all heard the ads about how one in 3 Australians will need donated blood during their life time - but only one in 30 will give it. ONE IN 30. That, my friends, disgusts me. I understand that their are those of us who cant give blood due to medical reasons and thats ok. I dont expect people to put others, or themselves at risk. I understand that donating blood is not recommended for the elderly, nor for the very young. Thats fine too. I'm even ok with people who cant give because of tattoos or piercings ( you are made to wait 12 months after being tattooed or piereced, to make sure you havent picked up any infections ) because i have tattoos, and i've sat out those waiting periods. But, other than that, i've given blood every 10-12 weeks, when i've been allowed, since i was 16 years old. Its hard - its maybe an hour of your time, in a comfy chair, watching tv, and then getting a sausage roll and a milkshake ( or cheese, bikkies and a juice in my case... ) when you're done.

Thats why i'm so disgusted with people who dont donate when their is no reason for them not to. Those people that say " Aww, i dont donate 'cause i'm scared of needles " or they cant be bothered or they just dont want to. Those are not reasons - those are excuses, and they're pretty fuckin' weak excuses at that. Everytime i donate blood, i'm helping save 3 lives - by the same logic, everytime people say " no " to blood donation they are putting those 3 lives at risk. And thats just not good enough. I once said that i'd love, if i were Prime Minister, to instigate a " No Giving, No Receiving " policy with blood - so that if you are fit to donate, and you dont.... well, you just cant have any blood when you need it. Thats pretty hardline, i know - but maybe thats the way it needs to be. Maybe if people knew their lives would be at risk aswell the reserves of blood would sky rocket. Their would be enough to go round. There wouldnt be people with blood disorders, or cancers, or immune diseases, being told " Sorry - no treatments today, we dont have enough blood ". No people needing transfusions after accidents or surgery, or women after having given birth, being told that there just isnt enough to help them out.

So there you go - thats my big belief, my big cause. Blood donation. It boils down to 4 hrs of your time per year, and you save at least 12 lives. Imagine how many people you could help save over the course of your donating life - literally hundreds. So stop with the bullshit excuses, and get down to your local blood bank and donate if you are able. If you arent able, help actively promote it amongst your family and friends ( like i do ). And if you are donating - well bloody done to you. You are literally a life-saver.

How about you? Do you donate blood? And what is your big belief or cause that you stand up for?