Blood, Organs, Mars and Harry Potter

2005-08 Now that the hot summer weather has finally arrived, or so we hope and think, I am spending more time in my car, driving from one fun summer destination to another. No, not just from winery to winery - that is only on weekends! When we drive, of course, we listen to the radio and interesting snippets of information are served up to us, especially by the CBC. For instance, did you know that only 3.5% of Canadians are blood donors? That surprised me. I realize that it is far more complicated and time consuming now to donate, but even so, 3.5% is embarrassing for such a young, healthy nation as ours. Those of us who dropped out because of the new forms and the endless paperwork had best drop back in again. As they used to say in their ads, "The life you save could be your own." Summer is notorious for car and boating accidents, and we have two long weekends ahead of us yet, so the Blood Services are asking for our support. If you have family or friends out and about in cars, do it for their sake. Following the radio ad urging me to be a blood donor, the day's mail contained a request for me to be an organ donor. That didn't matter, as myself, my husband, and our three children are all signed up already. It did bring back memories, however. I spent a great deal of time in the company of a young girl who was waiting for a kidney transplant. When we first met she looked as healthy as any other teenager, but that was not to last. She was on the waiting list for a new kidney for over three years, and in that time her general health declined dramatically. She was unable to attend school for weeks at a time, her face became pale and puffy, her energy level dropped very low. I had not realized then that waiting lists for a kidney transplant could be years long. Today the waiting time in BC is 5 years, and many die while on the waiting list. The organ transplant website at www.transplant.bc.ca claims that one in three organs that could be available for transplants are lost because the wishes of the loved one are not known to their family. My young friend finally got her transplant, but by then her general health was compromised, the transplant was made more complicated, and her recovery time was far longer than it should have been. However, she did not lack for courage or determination and she graduated from high school and is now in college - but, she was luckier than many. If you have been thinking about registering as a donor, then this would be the perfect time to pick up the phone and call: 604-877-2240 or 1-800-663-6189. Setting aside blood and organs for the moment, by the time you read this column we'll be heading into the August long weekend, and summer is half over! Still lots to do, though. The RCMP Musical Ride travels throughout BC during August, and there is no better show than that - except possibly in the sky above us! During the month of August, the planet Mars will appear large enough for us to see details on its red surface, and this year is the closest it will be for another 15 years. The best viewing will be in October, but during August we can watch it steadily grow brighter. Then we can look forward, once again, to the meteors of summer. This year the Perseids will peak August 11 and 12, with the best times after midnight. At that time you can expect to see 30 to 60 meteors an hour. All you'll need is a lounge chair or an air mattress and a thermos of hot coffee - the show is free! Somewhat closer to home we have ghost tours in Vernon, music festivals everywhere (see page two) the Abbotsford Air Show, rodeos, Pow Wows in Williams Lake and Kamloops, Arts Festivals, Square Dancing, car shows of all kinds, and the Musical Ride. Enjoy! As for me, I'm off to donate blood again. I'm embarrassed to admit how long it's been. Then, to reward myself, I'm going to get my copy of the new Harry Potter book and curl up in my hammock with Harry and a nice cold drink. If you phone in and get my answering machine, you'll know why!

 

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