Eligible blood donors of all blood types – especially type O – are urged to give blood through the American Red Cross now to help ensure a sufficient supply for hospital patients this spring.
By giving blood, donors may be helping someone like 5-year-old Emery Twehues, who was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia last spring. During her intense cancer treatments, Emery has needed both blood and platelets. Cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, and certain types of chemotherapy drugs and radiation can damage the bone marrow, where red blood cells and platelets are produced.
“Emery would not be able to recover from chemotherapy without lifesaving transfusions,” said her mom, Morgan Twehues. “Every time they hang a bag of platelets or blood up on her IV pole, I wish whoever donated that could see who it’s going to. There would be no chance for her to live, taking that chemotherapy, if it weren’t for the blood products.”
In order to meet the needs of patients like Emery, the Red Cross must collect about 13,000 blood and more than 2,500 platelet donations every day. In Indiana alone the Red Cross needs more than 450 donors each day to support patients at 80 hospitals across the state.
Make an appointment to help save lives now by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
Upcoming blood donation opportunities in Marshall County are: March 21st at the Argos United Methodist Church at 540 North Michigan Street from 1:30 till 5:30; April 1st at Ancilla College at 9601 South Union Road in Donaldson from 10 a.m. till 4 p.m.; and on April 3rd in Bremen at St. Isidore Hall at 803 West Bike Street from 11:30 until 5:30.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPassor use the Blood Donor App.
