Is anyone aware of donor information materials in braille for blind/sight-impaired persons?

A blood banking leader wonders if any colleague is aware of any blood donor information materials prepared in braille for blind/sight-impaired persons? Please share any information pertaining to donor qualifications for individuals who cannot 'see' the donor questionaire.

The following responses were received.

ADDENDA Jan. 10, 2003

1. According to the Chair, UK Standing Committee for the Care and Selection of Blood Donors, the UK Blood Services do not have a national system of information texts for donors in braille; in practice they rely on someone reading the texts to the donors. In their homes this would be a sighted member of their households; at the sessions this would be the staff member interviewing the donor confidentially (who therefore would mark all the answers in the tick box Questionnaire). He suspects that some time in the future they will be 'required' to provide all relevant information in braille.

ADDENDA Jan. 15, 2003

2. A blood bank Quality Manager from Santander, Spain reports that in Spain the donor questionaire in NOT available in braille. However, sight-impaired donors are drawn. His institution sponsored a blood drive at the office of the National Blind Peoples Organization, and the donors were quite content that the interviewing doctor read the information, asked the questions and ticked the boxes for them. However, in the experience of the Spanish blood banker, the main cause of blindness that they see in the donor center is severe diabetes and other congenital maladies which exclude these persons from donation. Thus, the Spanish blood banker feels the preparation and updating of a specific questionaire in Braille would be of limited practical value, other than reducing the waiting time for the donor.

ADDENDA Jan. 16, 2003

3. A leader in the blood banking community reports that over 20 years ago he had success in one community by contacting an agency that provides support to clients who are blind. They created a Braille donor record for his institution. He has not worked at that center for some time and he no longer knows whether the Braille donor record is still being used. However, he is of the opinion that most communities of some size have such agencies and that would seem a reasonable starting point of inquiry.

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