“Every January we celebrate National Blood Donor Month and we try to get the word out there and if donors would just donate one more time each year we can curb the shortage that we are used to seeing through out the year,” explained Blood Assurance Public Relations Representative Lacey Wilson. “We need about 400 units every single day.”
According to the Blood Assurance press release, America’s Blood Centers estimates that 4.5 million Americans will need a blood transfusion each year, yet 37 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but less than 10 percent actually donate.
Aside from the possibility of saving a life, donating blood has additional benefits, too.
“It actually helps for your marrow to start creating new blood cells,” said Wilson. “Also, when you come in to donate, they are going to check your iron level, blood pressure and your heart rate.”
She added, “If iron levels are too low for you to donate, we suggest you take multivitamins; we’ve even had some people who have found an underlying medical issue and we suggest they see their regular physician.”
Wilson went on to say that individuals should look at donating blood as if it was an oil change, saying, “It’s just healthy for you.”
Since Blood Assurance is the sole provider to area hospitals, it’s important for residents of Calhoun and Gordon County to donate.
“We are the only supplier of blood to Gordon Hospital,” explained Wilson. “All the blood that comes through Blood Assurance goes back out to area hospitals, and the only way we can make sure our hospitals have what they need is if our area residents are donating to a local provider.”
She also said that area hospitals are low on blood types; O-, A-, B- and O+.
A blood drive will be held Thursday, Feb 2, from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. at Gordon Hospital.
There are also Blood Assurance locations in Dalton, Rome and Cartersville for citizens to go and donate blood, if desired.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/bloodassurance or www.bloodassurance.org.
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