{"id":16205,"date":"2011-01-10T16:03:58","date_gmt":"2011-01-10T21:03:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/?p=16205"},"modified":"2011-01-10T16:03:58","modified_gmt":"2011-01-10T21:03:58","slug":"january-is-national-blood-donor-month","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aroundfortwayne.com\/news\/2011\/01\/10\/january-is-national-blood-donor-month\/","title":{"rendered":"January is National Blood Donor Month"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"American<\/p>\n

Press release from the American Red Cross:<\/p>\n

January is National Blood Donor Month<\/strong>
\nPublic encouraged to honor blood donors by rolling up their sleeves<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

(January 6, 2011) – Most every month has a holiday or special day of remembrance. But not every month honors the millions of people who volunteer to give the gift of life each year.<\/p>\n

“January is an absolutely perfect time of year to honor blood donors and all they do to help save lives” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “As the start of the New Year, January symbolizes hope\u00e2\u20ac\u201djust like the act of donating blood.”<\/p>\n

Since 1970, blood collection organizations like the American Red Cross have designated January as National Blood Donor Month. Each year, about 9.5 million volunteers donate around 16 million units of whole blood and red blood cells. About 20 percent of these donors give blood for the first time.<\/p>\n

“Blood donors play a vital role in modern health care,” said Whitman. “Hospitals need blood daily for the treatment of serious diseases and conditions, for emergency care, and for lifesaving surgeries.”<\/p>\n

Every day, about 39,000 pints of blood are transfused in the United States. And while that need is constant, blood donations often slump during the winter because of cold and snowy weather\u00e2\u20ac\u201dmaking it even more important for donors to give blood if they can.<\/p>\n

“Whether you choose to give blood once, twice or even more this coming year, we find it a privilege to serve you through the American Red Cross,” said Whitman. “Blood donors are truly remarkable people whose only reward is typically the satisfaction of knowing they’ve helped save someone’s life.”<\/p>\n

Come to donate from Jan. 1 – 31 and be entered into a weekly region-wide drawing for a $250 Visa gift card! In addition, all donors will receive a coupon for a free donut from Dunkin’ Donuts (while supplies last).<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA<\/strong>:<\/p>\n