New Covenant Church at 7201 Paseo del Norte NE is hosting a Vitalant Blood Drive Sunday, June 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Volunteer donors are strongly encouraged to schedule a time to give blood, but walk-ins may be accepted as well. To schedule a time on Sunday, visit the Vitalant website here.
According to a Vitalant FAQs page, the majority of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, but only 3% actually do. It takes about one hour to donate blood, which includes the time it takes to fill out a questionnaire and complete a medical screening. The donation itself only takes about ten minutes. Vitalant supplies blood to 900 hospitals in 28 states where it is used for a variety of medical treatments. One blood donation can help up to three patients in need.
Blood Facts from the American Red Cross
• Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood and or platelets.
• Approximately 29,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day in the U. S.
• Nearly 5,000 units of platelets and 6,500 units of plasma are needed daily in the U.S.
• Nearly 16 million blood components are transfused each year in the U.S.
• 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 blood transfusions throughout their lives.
• The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 units.
• A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood.
• Blood and platelets cannot be manufactured; they can only come from volunteer donors.
• The blood type most often requested by hospitals is type O.
• One donation can help save more than one life.
• According to the American Cancer Society, more than 1.8 million people are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2020. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.
