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Tacogirl Belize blog Est. in 2007

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Pay it Forward and Important Information on Donating Blood in Belize

by tacogirl 25/03/2014
written by tacogirl 25/03/2014
belize blood bank

Last week I put a picture on Facebook of a money jar  that I had left by the water company for someone to find, in addition to all kinds of coins, that had some bills hidden inside as well. I have been doing this occasionally since we moved here when I clean out our change jar. I always love it when I find money and figure that is a good feeling I can easily pass along. In the interest of paying it forward, this time I chose BWS because once I found close to $200 on the road and the only other guy around was riding a bike behind me. At my urgent request, Paul had stopped cart and the guy and I both picked up half the money at the same time. He went to hand his share to me thinking I was the one who dropped it. I told him to keep it and he was so grateful, because he needed money to pay his water bill.

Not wanting to sort the rest of the same coins over again when looking for old Belize and British Honduras money, I decided to just get rid of it all and make a second smaller jar. This one was filled with quarters and nickels and I left it at the park for some kids to find.

pay it forward

Money jar hidden in the kids playhouse at the park around the corner from me.

There has been a lot of talk about people being turned away from giving blood when they were able to in their native country. Today I will explain important information about donating blood in Belize that will help you understand the challenges the San Pedro Red Cross is facing in regards to building a healthy supply of blood for Ambergris Caye. I will also clear up some misinformation that has been brought to our attention. It is important for everyone to know, we have experienced staff on our blood drive committee and we do our research based on current procedures. 

We are all disheartened when people who would not even be questioned in the U.S. or Canada have been turned away in San Pedro. We are continuing to focus on what we can do to climb this mountain and overcome our obstacles to make long lasting positive changes in the system. This is no easy task and we appreciate everyone’s help, support and feedback.

Please consider that we live in a developing country and Belize has neither the technology or the resources to spin and clean blood. The screening standards currently being utilized now in Belize, date back to 1991. That is a long time ago; just imagine what your hairstyle was like and the kind of clothing you were wearing back then and how you have changed over the years. Now imagine how procedures that were written all those years ago read compared to ones that are written now.

As it stands, the Minister of Health is the only one that has the authority to update the screening application, and any changes to the application would have to be done country wide. San Pedro Red Cross would like to get some educational assistance from the American Red Cross to help Belize move forward.

Meanwhile, we keep trying to reach our 50 pints goal for next time and are grateful for some of the larger groups that have been coming out. In December, we had a whole crew from Tropic Air, and Victoria House Resort staff have also donated. In addition to all the wonderful regular donors that we are getting, we would like to get more young male and females to participate.

The San Pedro Belize Red Cross would like to thank everyone who made it possible for us to hold another successful blood drive this past Saturday. We could not have done it without the following people: Dr.Teresa Damera and the entire staff at Clinica Los Pinos, Bowen & Bowen, Maya Island Air, Island Supermarket, Costless Groceries, Casa Pan Dulce, Bowen and Bowen for juice, Pan Dulce, Mike Burnette, Belize Blood Bank, Isla Bonita Taxi Association, San Pedro Sun, Ambergris Today, Designing Solutions and everyone who came out to give blood or told someone to come and give blood.

Because of everyone’s hard work, we were able to collect 30 pints of blood, and adding that to our current stock, we now have 72 pints on reserve for Ambergris Caye. So far 7 pints have been used by 2 different people. Our next blood drive will be coming up in June.

Now for the misinformation. It has been brought to our attention by two different expats, one living here and one a long time part timer, that both were under the impression that because they lived in Belize they could no longer donate in the states. That is not true. However, there are waiting periods. Below are up to date facts from both the American Red Cross and Canadian Blood Services. We were successful in getting a number of tourists in December because we informed them of the fact they cannot donate in the US & Canada for a year subsequent to visiting Belize.

American Red Cross – Wait 3 years after completing treatment for malaria. Wait 12 months after returning from a trip to an area where malaria is found. Wait 3 years after living in a country or countries where malaria is found.

Canadian Blood Services – Eligible to donate one year after departure from a malaria risk zone. Eligible to donate blood three years after living in a malaria-risk zone. Canada does utilize red cells, platelets and plasma if you have been in malaria-risk zone, less than six consecutive months.

* In both countries individuals who have contracted malaria cannot donate blood at all.

P.S – In case you do not know why building a healthy reserve of blood for the island is important, let me tell you why. If you get sick and end up in Belize City requiring blood, you have to produce the same amount of blood they will be using on you (does not matter what kind) before they will preform any surgical procedures. San Pedro Belize Red Cross wants to make sure that no one from Ambergris Caye who is in an emergency situation or otherwise is ever faced with having to wait to find blood before they are able get the help they need.

belize red cross

Lara from Romantic Travel Belize filling out her blood donor form.

donating blood in belize

Shirlee and Cindy with her just donated sticker.

san pedro belize red cross

Matt Red Cross Regional Director from Port of Spain Trinidad stopped by to say hi and meet SPBRC volunteers.

Related

tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

previous post
Where to Find Good Seafood and My Favorite Healthy Snack From Cayo, Belize
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2 comments

Wendy Rechsteiner 28/03/2014 - 8:57 pm

Since I have been coming to Belize about twice per year, I have been turned away from Red Cross blood donation in the US. I was able to donate once when it had been 13 months since my last trip. They still send me letters. I just don’t bother to go. You see, Ambergris Caye is “a malaria endemic area”. So, despite my A negative blood with no antibodies, they don’t want it.

Reply
tacogirl 29/03/2014 - 6:09 am

Wendy we will be glad to take your blood the next time you are visiting AC.

Reply

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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
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Found tacogirl while doing some research on an upcoming trip to Belize. This is the place for all the information you... need to plan your vacation. Incredibly helpful and responsive. I sent an email with lots of questions and received a very quick and detailed response that helped us finalize our plans.read more
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We have been following TacoGirl for years now and before booking any trip to San Pedro we check to see what is... currently happening. We love the emails to let us know when a new blog has been posted. Keep up the great work Laurie, we feel like we know you.read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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Wanted to give a shout-out to tacogirl belize for helping us! She is a plethora of knowledge and was super helpful and... responsive in helping us find longer term stay on the island. Thank you so much for your help!read more
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I've spent the last month exploring Belize. I'm retired & seriously considering moving down to Belize permanently from... the US. I contacted the local San Pedro expert "Taco Girl" to help me get started in finding an apartment to rent. With her help, I've located several places that meet my needs & budget requirements. Thank you Laurie!read more
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Greg Cox
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I am very glad I found you and asked you a question about a spice in Belize. You helped me figure out the name of it... and where i could buy it. You went above and beyond to help. Thanks again.read more
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I am so grateful for the time and energy Laurie has taken to share about her experiences traveling to and living in... Belize as well as provide thorough recommendations for planning a trip there. I was so thankful (and honestly surprised) that Laurie took the time to respond to several of my questions via email. I highly recommend reading Laurie's blogs and helping to support her business. Thank you Laurie!!read more
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Greg R
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tacogirl was very nice to share her knowledge with us and assisted with planning our trip to Belize; thank you for the... help and info, it was helpful and allowed us to plan utilize our time accordingly while both on the mainland and islands of this great country.read more
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As a Canadian—tired of long winters—I cannot wait to spend some time in Belize. I haven't set foot yet, but I am... yearning for lots of Caribbean adventure. Thanks so much to tacogirl for her endless enthusiasm and generosity of spirit. She is a constant stream of up-to-date information. Her knowledge and love of the area is priceless, and I will need her expertise for future endeavours!read more
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We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
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ksniegoc1
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I started coming to San Pedro Belize in 2007 and that is when I met the online presence of Taco Girl. Her blogs on the... island and area are very personable and informative. She gives out promo codes from time to time so watch out for those. You cannot go wrong with someone who was a tourist and now lives here for quality info. Thanks Taco Girl for helping make my trips memorable!read more
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I take the seniors from our academy to Belize every year for their senior trip. One of the first people I contact when... I start planning the trip is Laurie with TacoGirl Belize. She knows the island of San Pedro better than anyone else out there. Trust me, I have looked. If you are looking for the best restaurants, hang outs and shops then Laurie help plan your vacation.read more
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Carol Taylor
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Love Taco Girl Blog @LaurieNorton!I've been reading this blog since I started visiting Ambergris Caye in Belize almost... 10 years ago. It is filled with helpful up-to-date information and recommendations that I wouldn't necessarily find on my own. Laurie Norton's knowledge and extensive network on the island provides her with the ability to share perks/discounts/coupons with her readers, which come in handy year after year. Things on the island change daily - new businesses pop up constantly and LaurieNortonstays on top of these developments. Whenever I plan my return trip to the island, I always check her blog first - and I recommend you do the same. Trip Advisor ain't got nuttin' on Taco Girl!read more
Heidi
Heidi
20:01 20 Feb 20
Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice... to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. There is so much information it's amazing! Thank you Laurie!!!read more
Nick Goodman
Nick Goodman
21:23 30 Nov 19
I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
KellyDivePhotography
KellyDivePhotography
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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I have known Laurie (Taco Girl) for several years. She has been a wealth of good information for me in all of my... pursuits in Belize. I highly recommend her for any services you may require.read more
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Do yourself a favor. Read this BEFORE any trip to San Pedro - Ambergris Caye or Belize in general. Not saying “do what... everyone else says”, but Laurie has frank and honest info which will make your stay in country a little more fun, a little more informative, and often at a great cost savings. Best thing: it’s unbiased, honest, and factual. Personal note: thank you for your personal tailored help in answering mine (and my wife’s) questions.read more
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Taco Girl (Laurie) is amazing. She has so much knowledge about Belize and has great connections with many of the... businesses in Belize. Because of her connections she is able to offer many perks and discounts that you wouldn't have been able to find otherwise. She is super responsive and I always go to her for all my travel needs. From golf cart rentals, to spas, to places to eat. She's got the inside scoop on all!read more
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Since 2003, my wife and I have been to Ambergris at least once a year to experience the fantastic diving. About twelve... years ago we me Tacogirl on a blog giving us discounts on golf carts, local airfares, and restaurants. Over the years we have grown a friendship and I look forward to her weekly blogs about he changes on my favorite home away from home. The island changes every year, and she always shows you what to see, do, and eat.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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