Time to share, time to care: donate blood

Press release from the American Red Cross:

Time to share, time to care: donate blood
American Red Cross seeks donors to help meet holiday need

You can honor a uniquely American holiday by giving something that’s uniquely you.

By donating blood this Thanksgiving, you’ll help ensure that blood is available for patients in need, and honor the spirit of giving that surrounds the start of the holiday season.

“When you donate blood this time of year, you can take pride in knowing someone is extremely thankful for your act of giving,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Because of you, someone’s mother, father, child or friend may have a chance to spend another holiday with people they love.”

Every day, patients across the U.S. need more than 39,000 units of blood to treat emergency and ongoing medical conditions. Patients depend on blood for cancer treatments, scheduled surgeries, emergency or accident care, as well as ongoing needs related to serious diseases like sickle cell.

While all blood types are needed, the demand for type O blood is great since type O can be transfused to patients with other blood types like A, B and AB. While type O positive can be transfused to patients with any positive blood type, type O negative can be transfused to anyone with any blood type, making it the type most needed in emergencies when a patient’s blood type isn’t known.

“At the American Red Cross, we’re thankful for every person who helps give someone a second chance at life by donating blood,” said Whitman. “While blood is needed year-round, it holds special meaning during the holidays since you’re giving something back to the community that truly comes from within.”

 

UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:

• Thursday, Nov. 18, from 2:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. at Hope United Methodist Church in the Community Room, located at 6608 Hoagland Road in Hoagland. Please call 747-4719 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
• Sunday, Nov. 21, from 7:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in the gymnasium, located at 14623 Bluffton Road in Yoder. Please call 622-7796 to schedule your blood donation appointment. This blood drive is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus.
• Monday, Nov. 22, from 8:15 a.m. until 10:45 a.m. at Logikos, located at 2914 Independence Drive in Fort Wayne. Please call 483-3638 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
• Tuesday, Nov. 23, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Third Place – Huntertown in the gymnasium, located at 1601 W. Cedar Canyon Road in Huntertown. This blood drive is sponsored by the United Methodist Church of Huntertown and Resurrection Lutheran Church.
• Tuesday, Nov. 30, from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. at Parkview Hospital in the Pach Room, located at 2200 Randallia in Fort Wayne. Please call 373-3902 to schedule your blood donation appointment.
• Fort Wayne Donor Center located at 1212 E. California Road in Fort Wayne, (across from the Memorial Coliseum)

Traditional whole blood or double red cell donation:

• Mon. & Tues. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Weds. & Thurs. noon – 6 p.m.
• Fri. & Sat. 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Platelet pheresis donation (call 1-800-589-8127 or 260-480-8299 to schedule a platelet donation):

• Mon. 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Tues. & Weds. 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
• Thurs. 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Fri. 6:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
• Sat. 6:30 a.m. – noon
• Sun. 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.

Lutheran Hospital Donor Center located at 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 107 in Fort Wayne (in the South Lobby of Lutheran Hospital) Traditional whole blood or platelet pheresis donation (no platelet pheresis on Wednesdays):

• Monday through Wednesday: noon – 6 p.m.
• Thursday through Saturday: 6 a.m. – noon
• Sunday: by appointment only

 

How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.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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