Blood Drive

**amykhar** · #1 03-03-2002, 05:30 PM

In February 2001, EA members joined together and donated over 3 gallons of blood in our communities.

On September 11, 2001, EA members rallied once again and headed out to give blood. Just about anybody who could contribute did contribute.

Help us keep the giving going! Give blood as often as you can, and perhaps save a life by doing so.

**AshleyA**[$] · #2 06-30-2003, 11:36 PM

I just wanted to bump this. I went to my local blood and tissue center and donated during my lunch hour.

Ashley
who is three pints away from being a one gallon member

**taurusmoon** · #3 07-01-2003, 07:33 AM

Thanks Ashley.

Good timing for a bump too, because there's a severe shortage right now. Even worse than usual for this traditionally slow time of year.

What say, y'all? Time for another EA Blood Drive?

I already have an appointment for a platelet donation on July 8th. Shall I count on seeing you there with me? Even if you're clear across the continent?

Sara

**AshleyA**[$] · #4 07-01-2003, 02:13 PM

We do have a holiday weekend coming up and blood needs are always critical during these times. I fully support the idea of another blood drive. I even liked the little meter we had measuring EA members' contributions.

Ashley

**jgibson2**[$] · #5 07-01-2003, 03:09 PM

They won't take mine. I'll have to see if I can drag my big kids out to the donor center this week. Maybe even their friends.

**taurusmoon** · #6 07-01-2003, 03:20 PM

Here's an excerpt of a press release from the New York Blood Center. They will now be testing donated blood for West Nile Virus. Which, if it leads to donor deferrals, will put an additional strain on the blood supply.

Quote:

The threat of a WNV outbreak and any resulting increase in blood donor deferrals, however, falls hard on the heels of the SARS outbreak, which has deferred donors who have traveled to Toronto, Taiwan, Hong Kong and mainland China or have been exposed to people with SARS. Also, these deferrals are just one year after last summer's ban on donors who have spent considerable time in Europe due to fears about transmitting mad cow disease.

"So we are very concerned about the overall availability of blood this summer. We already had to issue an appeal for donors earlier this month due to a low inventory of Rh negative blood. We simply must attract new and lapsed donors to offset those who will legitimately be deferred from donating so we have a safe and adequate blood supply," emphasized Dr. Jones. "And donations we receive in the next few weeks will provide a true safety net or insurance policy for hospital patients in need of life-saving transfusions this summer."

If you've been putting off donating, there's no better time than the present to get your butt and your arm into a local donor center.

I'll start a new thread for you to report your donations. Ashley can start us off.

Let's see how many pints EA can pull together this summer. Drag your family and friends in with you. I'll be glad to add them to our tally. But not as glad as the people who desperately need those transfusions.

Sara