Adelle Yii was just 17 when she found herself in a hospital bed with a bleeding polyp in her stomach, causing her haemoglobin (Hb) to drop to dangerous levels. They were so low that it prompted her attending doctor to order for an immediate blood transfusion and another one the following day.
Gradually, her Hb level rose from the initial reading of 5.8g/dl to 7g/dl, and eventually to just under 8g/dl before she was discharged with four months’ worth of iron tablets to help bring her Hb levels back to normal.
“I had been deferred from giving blood due to my low haemoglobin level previously, but I never really understood the importance of how having sufficient haemoglobin would impact me at all. It was only after I was hospitalised, and I couldn’t sit up or stand without passing out, that I became truly aware of its importance,” says Adelle.
“After my discharge, with the help of the iron tablets and my parents feeding me copious amounts of meat, I was eventually able to return to my usual activities. Since then, I’ve always been more conscious of the need to maintain a healthy Hb level.”
The 24-year-old legal trainee’s hospitalisation experience also reinforced in her the importance of blood donation and how she could play her part to support the National Blood Programme – so long as she kept her Hb levels at an adequate level.
“I was healthy and had no pre-existing medical conditions, and I never thought that I would need blood transfusions. But my experience taught me that accidents and health emergencies are unpredictable, so it’s important to ensure that blood is always available.
“I now make it a point to donate blood regularly, and one week before my donation, I’ll consume more meat and iron-rich foods, such as spinach, oyster mushrooms and quinoa. I’ll also get takeaway food bowls from health-food places where I can pick ingredients that are rich in iron, and I make sure I eat breakfast every day, usually something simple like nut butter (which is iron-rich!) on bread.
“I haven’t been on iron supplements other than when I was discharged from hospital but my Hb levels have consistently been around 13.8g/dl the last few times I’ve donated. Haemoglobin levels are not set in stone; it’s something that can be changed with a few tweaks in your lifestyle and eating habits!” [NB: For females, the minimum Hb level for blood donation is 12.5g/dl]
Beyond that, Adelle also works with the Singapore Red Cross to promote blood donation, and will post photos or videos of her blood donation experiences on her social media accounts to try and mobilise her friends to join her in giving blood. “Some of my friends will ask me about it and that’s when I share my story and try to convince them to come along for my next donation. And I know a few of my friends actually donated on their own because I bugged them to!
“It has actually been a bit hard to fix a date or time to donate with a group of friends because our schedules would often conflict. Thankfully, most of them just find the time to go on their own. Some of them forget that they’re already eligible to donate again or get a bit lazy, so I’ll casually remind them to go down if they can after work or over the weekend. It’s quite rewarding to know that I’ve made a small impact, even if it means just getting one more person to donate.”
We couldn’t agree more.