Help the Red Cross save lives by becoming a blood donor
COSHOCTON – Can you help the American Red Cross find its missing type?
Their new slogan reads, “Without A, B and O, we can’t save anybody,” and was designed to raise awareness about the need for blood and donors.
“This is a critical time for us,” said Jackie Mishler, Account Manager III for the American Red Cross. “Nine months out of the year we have our high school and college students which are 20 percent of our inventory. We don’t have that right now and people have busy summer schedules, vacations and then there is the heat. Our supplies decrease when our needs increase.”
Coshocton residents will have four opportunities to help the Red Cross. Blood drives are scheduled for: Friday, July 12 – noon to 6 p.m., Auer Ace Hardware; Thursday, July 18 – 1 to 7 p.m., Warsaw Camp & Retreat Center; Thursday, July 18 – 1 to 7 p.m., New Bedford Community, Valley View Health Center; Tuesday, July 30 – 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Annin & Company.
“The Warsaw drive is our big one with a goal of 120,” Mishler said. “We will have a big thank you for blood donors though. They will receive a Cedar Fair ticket good for Cedar Point or King’s island. We are offering a large incentive in hope for a large return.”
One blood donor can help save up to three lives and it only takes about an hour of time.
“The Warsaw drive will have extra staffing too so we can keep processing time the same even with a large volume of donors,” Mishler said.
Donors also can save time by going to www.redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.
“You can read the information and fill out the answers to questions ahead of time, but it must be done the day of your donation,” Mishler said.
Another useful tool for donors is the Red Cross Blood app.
“It’s a great way to schedule appointments, do Rapid Pass and keep track of your donations,” Mishler said.
About a half hour before you come in you also will want to eat a combination of protein and carbohydrates, drink plenty of non-caffeinated beverages, and stay away from iced tea for a couple of days because it can cause a decrees in iron levels.
Donors can be as young as 16 with parent consent or 17 without parent consent. Consent forms can be downloaded at www.redcrossblood.org. O negative and 0 positive blood types are highly in demand.
“O negative is the universal blood type and 0 positive can go to anyone with positive blood,” Mishler said.
Donations help the American Red Cross’ Central Ohio Blood Region serve 39 medical facilities and the Red Cross blood app allows you to track the journey of your unit of red cells.
“I totally understand the fear of needles,” Mishler said. “We are walking into your personal space and asking to put a needle into your arm. It’s only six to nine minutes though. Think about the little one at Nationwide Children’s Hospital who is like that for 40 minutes, but will feel so much better afterwards. Our collection staff and volunteers will be there too to help make you feel comfortable and talk you through it.”
Coshocton County July Blood Drives
- Friday, July 12: Noon to 6 p.m., Auer Ace Hardware, bus parked at AlterCare. Donors receive $10 Auer Ace Hardware gift card, Red Cross water bottle and BOGO Columbus Zoo coupon.
- Thursday, July 18: 1 to 7 p.m., Warsaw Camp & Retreat Center. Donors receive Cedar Fair ticket, which is good for Cedar Point or King’s Island.
- Thursday, July 18: 1 to 7 p.m., New Bedford Community at Valley View Health Center, 32327 State Route 243
- Tuesday, July 30: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Annin & Company. Donors receive Red Cross t-shirt and BOGO Columbus Zoo coupon.
Did you know?
Only about three out of 100 people in the U.S. give blood. There simply aren’t enough people donating blood to help patients in need. Yet each day, kids battling cancer, accident victims being raced into emergency rooms and new moms with complicated childbirths need lifesaving blood transfusions. To ensure that lifesaving blood products are available when and where they are needed, the Red Cross urges more individuals to roll up a sleeve and give.
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