Campaign raises awareness of need for blood donors
The World Health Organization started World Blood Donor Day 10 years ago to raise awareness of the increased need for donated blood products and to thank voluntary blood donors for their lifesaving gifts of blood.
World Blood Donor Day is celebrated on June 14, but its message is communicated worldwide throughout June.
Organizations around the world, including Heartland Blood Centers, a nonprofit medical organization providing transfusion medicine services to 48 Chicagoland and Northwest Indiana, will recognize World Blood Donor Day by educating the public of the tremendous need for volunteer blood donors in their community. This year’s campaign slogan is “Give the Gift of Life: Donate Blood.” The focus is on the value of donated blood to the patient, not only in saving life, but also in helping people live longer and more productive lives.
“At Heartland Blood Centers, we require approximately 550 volunteer blood donors every day to supply our member hospitals with blood products for patients in need of blood transfusions,” said Ann McKanna, vice president, marketing and new business development with Heartland Blood Centers. “In many situations, patients require numerous transfusions at one time, depending on their treatment needs. This, along with the transfusion needs of patients of all ages, premature babies to the elderly, increases the blood usage and the need for volunteer blood donors.”
In the United States alone, someone needs blood every two seconds. They could be a family, friends, neighbors, co-workers or people you may never know. They all have one thing in common — the need for a lifesaving blood donation.
“We not only need our loyal blood donors to continue to donate in the summer, but we need new blood donors every day to help replace those donors who are no longer eligible to donate,” McKanna adds. “We ask that all healthy community members visit a mobile blood drive or center location this summer to share their good health with others by donating blood. If you are unable to donate blood, please consider sponsoring a blood drive with us. We provide all the tools you will need to host a successful event.”
As a “thank-you” gift, blood donors will receive a Donor Appreciation Certificate good for $7 in retail purchases at any Oberweis Ice Cream and Dairy Store location when they donate at any Heartland Blood Centers mobile or center location. Some blood drive or center locations may have an alternative “thank-you” gift given.
For a list of convenient donation locations, visit www.heartlandbc.org for a Heartland center or community blood drive near you.
Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site including information about their temperature, pulse rate, blood pressure and hemoglobin level.
To be a blood donor, individuals must be at least 17 years old, or 16 with written parental permission; weigh at least 110 pounds; be symptom free of cold, flu and allergies; and be in general good health. Donors who have traveled outside the United States within the past 12 months should contact Heartland at (800) 7TO-GIVE to determine eligibility.
All community members are encouraged to attend the following blood drives:
Ÿ Arlington Heights: 11 a.m.-4:30 p.m. June 17, Northwest Community Hospital, 800 W. Central Road. Call Janet at (630) 295-8232 to make an appointment or go to www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will receive a gift card to Oberweis Ice Cream.
Ÿ Arlington Heights: 3:30-6:30 p.m. June 18, Congregational United Church of Christ, 1001 W. Kirchoff Road. Call Janet at (630) 295-8232 to make an appointment or go to www.heartlandbc.org. All donors will receive a gift card to Oberweis Ice Cream.
Ÿ Bartlett: 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. June 29, First American Bank, 970 S. Route 59, on Heartland’s Mobile Coach. All donors will receive a $7 Oberweis gift card.
Ÿ Des Plaines: 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 6, at Siete7 LLC, 1011 E. Touhy Ave., Suite 120. Call Janet at (630) 295-8232 to schedule your appointment or go to ww.heartlandbc.org.
Ÿ Des Plaines: 9 a.m.-noon June 14, W Diamond Group, 1680 E. Touhy. Call Janet at (630) 295-8232 to schedule your appointment or go to www.heartlandbc.org.
Ÿ Des Plaines: 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. June 27, at Holy Family Medical Center, 100 N. River Road. Call Janet at (630) 295-8232 for information or to schedule an appointment.
Ÿ Hanover Park: 1:30-4 p.m. June 20, School Health Supply Corporation, 865 Muirfield Drive.
Ÿ Mount Prospect: 10 a.m.-noon June 20, Technotrans America, Inc., 1050 E. Business Center Drive.
Ÿ Rolling Meadows: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. June 27, RTC, 2800 Golf Road.
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