All donations to charity make a difference, whether they consist of money, clothing, cars, or simply some time spent volunteering. While every donation is equally important, today I would like to focus more specifically upon the importance of giving blood. Most healthy people who are at least 17 years old, and weigh over 110 pounds are eligible to give blood every 56 days. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule so it may be worth either phoning or emailing your local Chapter of The American Red Cross in order to check your eligibility.
It is very important to remember that you should not wait until an emergency occurs before giving blood. In addition to the fact that during, or immediately after an emergency, especially one in your local area, you may have difficulty even getting to a blood donation center. Also, there are many individuals who rely on donations of blood right throughout the year. These individuals include trauma victims, surgery patients, individuals living with Sickle Cell Disease, and some premature infants.
If you are interested in giving blood, you may be interested to know that The American Red Cross is teaming up with The New York Rangers for a special blood drive on Saturday April 4 from 9am-3pm at the Crown Plaza Hotel in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All donors will receive a replica New York Rangers jersey.
The whole process at a blood drive – from the time you arrive until the time you leave – typically takes no more than an hour and a half. The donation itself takes only about ten minutes. After it is given, your blood donation is brought back to The American Red Cross where it is tested and separated into components. Your single donation can help as many as three people, and can be at a hospital, ready for a critically ill patient, in as little as 48 hours.
As I mentioned earlier, blood is one of many forms donations can take. Tomorrow I want to discuss a different kind of donation. That is, a donation of a used car, or another vehicle.
