We look forward to seeing many of you at the May 13 Red Cross blood drive at Westminster. Interesting fact: An estimated 38 percent of Americans are eligible to give blood or platelets, but of those, less than 10 percent actually donate each year. If you are healthy and eligible please sign up for an appointment to donate.
As Blood Program leaders we get questions about the blood donation process. Here are a couple of the most common:
· How long will it take to replenish the pint of blood I donate?
The plasma from your donation is replaced within about 24 hours. Red cells need about four to six weeks for complete replacement. That’s why at least eight weeks are required between whole blood donations.
· Why does the Red Cross ask so many personal questions when I give blood?
The highest priorities of the Red Cross are the safety of the blood supply and our blood donors. Some individuals may be at risk of transferring communicable disease through blood donation due to exposure via travel or other activities or may encounter problems with blood donation due to their health. We ask these questions to ensure that it is safe for patients to receive your blood and to ensure that it is safe for you to donate blood that day.
Again, we look forward to seeing community members as well as congregants on May 13. To get your appointment time you can use the Red Cross blood app on your android or Apple device. Or feel free to email me or call me at the contact information below.
Kind Regards,
Bill Nelson, Pam Garland and the blood drive ambassadors that assist in hosting
Bill Nelson-(503) 576-1278
bnelson@pacificomm.net
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