The Red Cross punts

 

Just heard from the Red Cross with regard to my email inquiry yesterday...they phoned!  Here was the question:

I was recently denied for donation because I had a radical prostatectomy in November.   I was told I had to be cancer free for one year before I could donate.  My question...with slow growing asymptomatic cancers, how does one know before diagnosis? (writer's note: it seemed to me there could be tens of thousands of people with cancer donating every year)  What is the ARC position on screening for prostate/breast cancers?  Why would I be denied after receiving a clean biopsy post surgery (I'm sure most donors do not have such a report)?

In response to my inquiry, they initially had a new employee speak to me...she quickly handed me off to a supervisor. Apparently the donation policy is an FDA regulation, which the Red Cross could not explain other than “donor safety” (which they also could not explain). I asked for an FDA reference so I could read the regulation myself; the supervisor promised to kick me upstairs for another call from someone else.

So, as it stands, apparently I'm at risk if I give blood until I've been cancer free for 12 months (an undefined risk of...ummm...something), but there is no issue of my blood being unacceptable (I was told no post-donation testing is done for any cancer marker...hell, I don't even know if there is such a marker but I liked the way the question sounded).  If this were not a serious issue (to me), this would be fun!!!

Finally, kudos to the American Red Cross for attempting to answer my questions; many organizations would not bother.  I truly appreciate their attention and look forward to further information.