It is highly probably that you, or someone you know, will need a blood transfusion at some point in their life. For this reason, it is important to consider becoming a blood donor. According to the New York Times, 2009 article, “Donate,” by Sonya Gonzales, there is a new generation of donors. The author says that this, "new generation of donors is the key to our blood supply today and tomorrow." Donated blood isn't just used in emergencies, but blood donations help many people needing long-term treatments to prolong their lives. My mom has donated blood since she was 24, and she always talks about the importance of giving blood. For this reason, I have decided to explain why donating blood is important, and how you can give blood. Finally I would like to show you how your donation helps others. Donating blood save lives, and it is more appreciated when people do it voluntarily. According to the Social Security Fund website, every hour in Panama, 20 pints of blood are needed to help people with severe illnesses, victims of accidents, or violence. However, voluntary blood donation in Panama is decreasing. In fact, only the 1.4 % of the Panamanian population donated blood in 2013. Most of those donations were paid for, which is really shameful. In addition, Arinda Aleman, the coordinator of the blood bank in the Panama Children’s Hospital, expressed that is necessary to raise awareness about the importance of donating blood voluntarily; it is a key to saving lives. Moreover, she emphasized that blood shortages affect all hospitals around the country. This critical shortage of blood, has forced cancellation of elective surgeries since the inadequate supply of blood makes it impossible to meet hospital demands. In spite of the lack of blood donors, Panamanian people do not consider the donation as an important issue. According to the American Red Cross website, the main reason donors give blood is because they, "want to help others.