Video by Brynn Carman, CTV News 

Inside the Bonfils Blood Center bus with Reporter Jessie Trudell

It was approximately 2:15 in the afternoon Thursday as my life flashed before my eyes, my vision became hazy and I dropped to the ground.

Just kidding – but I sure got close.

Like many other people, I do not particularly enjoy needles. They do not especially appeal to me. However, the fact that every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs a transfusion of blood convinced me to get past my fears and donate some liquid gold.

So there it was: my opportunity to give back, only a few steps and a needle away.

“It smells so sterile in here,” I said aloud as I entered the donation-site-on-wheels: the Bonfils Blood Center bus, stationed right outside Colorado State University‘s Clark A building.

The nurse filling out my information asked, “well, would you rather have it smell not sterile?”

Touché.

The nurse finished registering me as a blood donor, and asked questions pertaining to a brief history of my health. I was then declared eligible to donate.

I think the nurses are trained to smell fear, because before I even sat down at the blood-giving station, they had a bottle of juice in my hand and were instructing me to breathe deeply. Once I got comfortable, they took the donation. The only pain I felt was a slight sting in my arm when they inserted and removed the needle. However, I think a minor irritation such as the needle can be easily conquered when lives of others depend on it.  Following my donation, I was free to go after a brief recovery period.

I walked out of that bus feeling like a better person, especially because I learned that one whole blood donation can help improve and save the lives of up to three patients. Bonfils Blood Center serves as the necessary middleman between donors and the people that need the donations the most.

“The most rewarding part for me is the fact that giving blood saves lives every day,” said Jeff Dillavou, CDR for Bonfils Blood Center.

Bonfils Blood Center has been accommodating the blood needs of the Rocky Mountains since early 1943. Given that blood cannot be synthetically made, Bonfils Blood Center relies solely on the donations of healthy and willing volunteers. These donations are then used to save the lives of people that experience significant blood loss through trauma or other circumstances.

“Lives depend on donated blood,” Dillavou said. “Decide to save a life.”

Collegian Reporter Jessie Trudell can be reached at news@collegian.com or on Twitter @JessieTrudell.