Successful blood drive at Winston

Even during the bustle of the holiday season, challenging winter weather and the flu bug; the critical need for blood donations remains. To assist the Red Cross, the Winston Pit Stop held a very successful blood drive on Monday, Dec. 15th. There were 23 individuals who presented themselves for donation and 20 productive units were collected. Please visit a blood drive and share the gift of life. One lucky donor at the Pit Stop was glad she did. Jennifer Schaffer was the recipient of the $20 dollars worth of gas from the Pit Stop. We appeciate Jeff and Kay for sponsoring the blood drive and the donators for volunteering. Without your support, the patients who need blood products in hospitals such as St. Luke’s and Children’s Mercy would not be receiving a precious gift this holiday season. The American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Blood Services Region encourages people to please remember to give the gift of life by donating blood throughout the holiday season and winter months. One blood donation could help save up to three lives, possibly someone you know.

The need for blood is constant — 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. As families gather gifts for their own loved ones, they are encouraged to also give the gift of life today and every 56 days. The demand for blood continues to outpace the supply, in part because of today’s life-saving medical techniques, which require more blood transfusions. Based on the statistic that a blood transfusion is needed every two seconds in America, the Red Cross is encouraging a new national routine of giving blood at least twice a year.

In Missouri, healthy individuals who are at least 17 years old and weigh 110 pounds or more are eligible to donate blood. Federal regulations require whole blood donors to wait 56 days between donations. Platelet donors can donate as many as 24 times a year. To schedule a blood donation appointment, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE or visit www.americanredcrossblood.org. Remember, patients are counting on you.