ROCKINGHAM – As the saying goes, sometimes the best things in life are free. For those who have given the gift of blood, knowing they are helping to save lives can be a very rewarding experience.
The opportunity to give blood is coming up again in the next few weeks in Richmond County. On Friday, March 30, a blood drive will be held at the Rockingham Masonic Lodge 495 located at 1107 Fayetteville Road, Rockingham. This drive will be held from 3 p.m. – 7 p.m. and will accept whole blood as well as “Power Red” donations.
There will be another opportunity on April 6 at the Richmond Pines Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in Hamlet. This drive will take place from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. This drive will be for whole blood donations only.
Whole blood donations are the most common type; typically a pint of blood is taken from the donor during a process that takes about an hour. A “Power Red” donation collects red blood cells and then returns most of the plasma and platelets back to the donor. These donors are required to meet specific eligibility guidelines and must have type A negative, B negative or O type blood.
Below are a few interesting facts about blood from the Red Cross website:
• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
• Approximately 36,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U.S.
• Nearly 7,000 units of platelets and 10,000 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S.
• Nearly 21 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
• The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints.
• The blood type most often requested by hospitals is type O.
• The blood used in an emergency is already on the shelves before the event occurs.
• It is estimated that sickle cell disease affects 90,000 to 100,000 people in the U.S. About 1,000 babies are born with the disease each year. Sickle cell patients can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives.
• According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.69 million people were expected to have been diagnosed with cancer in 2017. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their continuing chemotherapy treatment.
• A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood.
The American Red Cross supplies 40% of all blood requirements across the United States, assists in natural disasters, and teaches life saving skills such as first aid and CPR. They also provide international humanitarian aid and support for military members and their families. The Red Cross is a non-profit organization and depends on volunteers and donations in order to provide the services it offers.
Interested in donating? Requirements for blood donations can be found at the Red Cross website and to pre-register follow this link- Click here to Sign up.
