The Pine River community hosted a blood drive with Vitalant, formerly United Blood Services, on March 24 at The Warehouse, which helped collect a total of 25 units of blood products for patients in need.
A total of 26 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 21 individuals were able to donate. Three donors also came forward to donate Power Red Cells (2RBC), which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution back to the donor. Five people volunteered for the first time.
Vitalant expressed gratitude to Donald Norman, who coordinated the drive, and the Pine River Lions, which sponsored the blood drive, as well as others who assisted the day of the drive: Cindy Mill, Art Schmidt and Kristina Gutzke.
Vitalant strives to keep a five-day supply of every blood type on the shelf at all times to be able to meet the needs of patients across the region. Donations from O-negative donors, the universal blood type, are especially important this time of year due to increased accidents and trauma cases.
About 30 percent of Vitalant’s blood supply goes to cancer patients across the region and one in seven people entering the hospital will need blood.
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Donors can make an appointment to give blood at www.bloodhero.com or by calling 877-25-VITAL. With each donation, donors receive a free total cholesterol test and earn points in Vitalant’s donor rewards program.
Blood donation takes about an hour from check-in to refreshments. Donors can save about 20 minutes by completing their Health History Questionnaire the day they donate at www.vitalant.org.
