News release from the American Red Cross:
Blood donations bring hope to families and patients
September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
(September 1, 2011) – You can bring hope to a child’s life in the time it might take to eat lunch with a friend.
By donating blood through the American Red Cross, you can help provide the blood some children may need for their ongoing cancer care. With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, blood donors are encouraged to make and keep appointments and help children beat serious disease.
“Donated blood and platelets can play an enormous role in cancer care and treatment,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Chances are, there’s a child or a family waiting for the gift you can give.”
Transfusions of red cells and platelets can help save a patient’s life, or dramatically improve their quality of life from day-to-day. Leukemia and other cancers can cause anemia and internal bleeding, chemo and radiation can lower blood counts, and cancer-related surgeries can result in blood loss.
According to the National Cancer Institute, about 10,400 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer in a typical year. Of those childhood cancer patients, about one-third will have some form of leukemia. Many forms of leukemia respond to current medical care, including the most prevalent: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL.
“When you give blood, you give hope,” said Whitman. “We often hear from families who say that because blood was there, their child has a chance to grow up and enjoy every moment. Just think of the power your donation can bring.”
UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:
[list type=”black”]
[li]Friday, Sept. 16, from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at Salin Bank, located at 110 W. Main St. in Fort Wayne. Please call 399-1934 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Friday, Sept. 16, from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Lowes, located at 6931 N. Lima Road in Fort Wayne. Please call 497-9040 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Saturday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at the UAW Building, located at 1427 Broadway in Fort Wayne. This blood drive is sponsored by Starr Stunnaz Motorcycle Club. Please call 616-0549 to schedule your blood drive donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Sunday, Sept. 18, from 8:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Christ’s Church at Georgetown in the gymnasium, located at 3131 Maplecrest Road in Fort Wayne. Please call 486-3006 or 486-3640 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Monday, Sept. 19, from 2 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Grabill Missionary Church in the gymnasium, located at 13637 State St. in Grabill. Please call (260) 466-3213 to arrange transportation to this blood drive.[/li]
[li]Saturday, Sept. 24, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Lutheran Health Sports Center in the Banquet Room, located at 3869 Ice Way Drive in Fort Wayne. Please call 387-6614 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Sunday, Sept. 25, from 7:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Pathway Community Church, located at 11910 Shearwater Run in Fort Wayne.[/li]
[li]Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 8:30 a.m. until 11 a.m. at Dupont Hospital, located at 2520 E. Dupont Road in Fort Wayne. Please call 416-3023 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 1 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. at the YMCA of Greater Fort Wayne, located at 1020 Barr St. in Fort Wayne. Please call 422-6486 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Thursday, Sept. 29, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Indiana Purdue University by the Science Building, located at 2101 E. Coliseum Blvd. in Fort Wayne. Come to donate and be entered into a drawing for a $50 shopping spree. Please go to redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “ipfw” to schedule your blood donation appointment. This blood drive is sponsored by Delta Sigma Pi.[/li]
[/list]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:
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[li]Monday and Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.[/li]
[li]Wednesday and Thursday: noon – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Friday and Saturday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.[/li]
[/list]Platelet pheresis donation (call 1-800-589-8127 or 260-480-8299 to schedule a platelet donation):
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[li]Monday: 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Tuesday: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[liWednesday: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.[/li]
[li]Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.[/li]
[li]Saturday: 6:30 a.m. – noon[/li]
[li]Sunday: 8:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.[/li]
[/list]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):
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[li]Monday through Wednesday: noon – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Thursday through Saturday: 6 a.m. – noon[/li]
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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 Indiana and Ohio), 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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