American Red Cross Blood Drive

As parAmerican Red Cross logot of summer reading this year, the Columbia Public Library will be hosting a blood drive on Thursday, June 15, from noon-4:00 pm. Please drop by or make an appointment by visitng www.redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Your donation could save up to three lives and it only takes about 45 minutes.

If you’re planning on donating, you must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent) and feel healthy the day of. Avoid aspirin for 48 hours before you donate. And remember to eat healthy: don’t skip any meals, and drink plenty of fluids that day.

I’ve been donating blood for about nine years, and I still remember vividly the first time I donated blood; it was also the first (and thankfully only) time I ever fainted. Needless to say I learned my lesson about drinking plenty of water before donating. For more tips about how to prepare for your donation, click here. Don’t forget to bring a photo ID or your donor card.

Please consider becoming a regular blood donor if you’re not already. Finally, although the Red Cross will only be collecting blood during this drive, please also consider making an appointment at a later date to donate platelets. The Red Cross is in desperate needs of platelets, and you can give every 7 days, up to 24 times per year. If you’re interested in donating platelets, you can find more information here.

 

Image credit: Amy ClaxtonRenee Slege Modern Autobody Carter Blood Drive via Flickr (license)