Gilroy
– The American Red Cross is encouraging first-time blood donors
to give blood this month due to an expected drop-off in the summer
when potential and regular donors are on vacations.
Gilroy – The American Red Cross is encouraging first-time blood donors to give blood this month due to an expected drop-off in the summer when potential and regular donors are on vacations.
Blood is needed for many medical and surgical procedures, but also saves the lives of accident victims, cancer, cardiac, and organ transplant patients. To a child battling sickle cell anemia or a father waiting for a liver transplant, having a safe and available blood supply is more than a wish – it’s a necessity.
“The nation’s entire blood supply is donated by just 3 percent of the population,” said Red Cross spokeswoman Sara O’Brien. “Put another way, 3 percent of the population keeps the other 97 percent of the population covered in a medical emergency. We encourage more people to become regular blood donors because everyone is a potential user.”
The next blood drive is Thursday, May 12, from 1:30 to 6:30pm at First Baptist Church, 8455 Wren Ave. To make an appointment to give blood at the Gilroy drive, call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visit www.BeADonor.com.
