Give blood at Hillsboro blood drive Sept. 22 years ago
To the Editor:
The need for blood remains constant, while many factors strain the supply. Blood usage continues to rise every year as a large portion of the population ages and medical facilities, such as heart-surgery units and cancer centers, improve techniques and technologies.
The American Red Cross is continuously working hard to ensure a stable blood supply is available for patients when they need it. If you wait until an emergency to donate, it is too late, as it takes 48 hours to test blood for safety and may not be available.
We cannot stockpile blood and platelets to get us through tough months. We wish we could, but blood only lasts 42 days. Steady, regular donations are needed to help area hospital patients day in and day out. We need 500 blood donors each day in Kansas and northern Oklahoma alone.
Donating blood is a simple, selfless act that takes about an hour, with the actual donation only taking about seven minutes. Make donating blood part of your community responsibility. Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood. Donating regularly ensures blood is available at a moment's notice when it is needed to save a life.
The Hillsboro blood drive will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sept. 22 at First Mennonite Church, Hillsboro.
Call 1-800-448-5433 for an appointment.
Most medications are not cause for deferral. It is recommended donors drink plenty of water before and after donations.
For more information call Gladys Funk, 947-3517 or Shirley Kasper, 947-5713.
Gladys Funk
Shirley Kasper
Blood drive chairmen
