Press release from the American Red Cross:
Make Time to Give the Greatest Gift this Holiday: The Gift of Life
Blood donations from volunteer donors are high on the wish list for hospital patients and their families this holiday season.
“We’re inviting community members to set aside a little bit of time to give the gift of life during the holidays,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Every day, people need blood products for the care and treatment of serious diseases, trauma and accidents. That need doesn’t go away with the season. In fact, it sometimes increases.”
More than 39,000 pints of blood are needed daily in the United States. Donations of all blood types are needed, but type O is in high demand since it can be transfused to people with other blood types.
Donors who give through the Red Cross help supply blood to patients in about 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. Those donations, Red Cross officials say, make a difference to patients within the immediate community, as well as to patients who travel outside the community for medical care.
The stability of the nation’s blood supply depends on volunteer donors who give consistently year-round. Although 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time, a very small percent actually do.
“In the time it might take to wrap a few gifts or send out holidays cards, you could help give someone a second chance at life,” said Whitman. “That’s a powerful gift, and something worth making time for.”
UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:
- Monday, Dec. 7, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Emanuel Lutheran Church, located at 800 Green St. in New Haven.
- Monday, Dec. 7, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Harlan Christian Youth Center, located at 17308 Second St. in Harlan. Please call 1-800-860-8611, ext. 8632 for transportation to this blood drive.
- Thursday, Dec. 10, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Coldwell Banker Roth Wehrly Graber, located at 5503 Coventry Lane in Fort Wayne. Please call 341-0380, ext. 8121 or 459-4541 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Saturday, Dec. 12, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church in Centennial Hall, located at 4245 Lake Ave. in Fort Wayne. Please call 482-9815 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Saturday, Dec. 12, from 7:30 a.m. until 11:30 p.m. at St. Vincent de Paul in the gymnasium, located at 1720 E. Wallen Road in Fort Wayne. Please call 484-0078 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Sunday, Dec. 13, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church in the Recreation Hall, located at 11337 Old U.S. 27 S. in Fort Wayne. Please call 639-6001 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Monday, Dec. 14, from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Logikos, located at 2914 Independence Drive in Fort Wayne. Please call 483-3638 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 10:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the First Source Bank Building in the Ventura Room, located at 200 E. Main St. in Fort Wayne. Design Collaborative is hosting this blood drive which is held in honor of Meri Everett. Please call 422-4241 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
- Tuesday, Dec. 15, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Mill Supplies, Inc., located at 5105 Industrial Road in Fort Wayne.
How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visit IndianaOhioRedCross.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.About the American Red Cross
The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio, and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 60 hospitals. In addition to providing blood to our community, the American Red Cross also provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.
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