Blood donors eligible for free airfare
The act of gift giving can continue without boxes, bows and wrapping paper. January is National Blood Donor Month. Give the gift of life in Warren County while trying to win $1,000 worth of airfare in the process.
A blood drive has been scheduled for Jan. 11 at McMinnville Civic Center. Drive hours are noon to 6 p.m. As a token of appreciation, all participants in blood drives from Jan. 7-31 will be eligible to win the airfare.
Blood is traditionally in short supply during the winter months due to the holidays, travel schedules, inclement weather and illness. January, in particular, is a difficult month for blood centers to collect donations. A reduction in turnout can put the nation’s blood inventory at a critically low level.
Every day in the United States, approximately 39,000 units of blood are required in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident victims.
The goal is to help ensure blood is available to patients whenever and wherever it is needed because it is the blood on the shelves that helps save lives. Blood is a perishable product with a shelf life of only 42 days, and platelets just five days, so it must be replenished constantly ‘ there simply is no substitute.
While having available blood is important, so is having a variety of the different blood types. According to the American Red Cross, there are four different blood types: A, B, AB and O. Blood may look similar but looks are deceiving. If two different blood types are mixed together, the blood cells may clump together and cause a fatal situation.
When blood is given, a person with type A blood can only donate blood to a person with type A or type AB. A person with type B blood can donate blood to a person with type B blood or type AB. A person with type AB blood can donate blood to a person with type AB only. A person with type O blood can donate to anyone.
When blood is received, a person with type A blood can receive type A or type O. A person with type B blood can receive type B or type O. A person with type AB blood can receive blood from anyone. A person with type O blood can receive blood from a person with type O blood.
Almost 40 percent of the population has type O blood. There is always a need for type O donors because their blood may be transfused to a person of any blood type in an emergency. Because of this, about half all blood ordered by hospitals is type O.
Donors must be at least 17 years of age, weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be in good general health. There is no upper age limit for blood donation. All donors need to present positive identification.
For more information or to schedule your blood donation appointment, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE.