WILMINGTON, MA — The American Red Cross is hosting two blood drives later this month:
- On Wednesday, May 13, from 2pm to 7pm, there will be a Blood Drive at ITT Tech (200 Ballardvale Street).
- On Thursday, May 14, from 2pm to 7pm, there will be a Blood Drive at Wilmington Congregational Church (220 Middlesex Avenue).
Interested donors can call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to book an appointment, but walk-ins ARE welcome.
Here are some important facts about blood and the blood donation process, from the Red Cross’s website:
- Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.
- More than 41,000 blood donations are needed every day.
- More than 1.6 million people were diagnosed with cancer last year. Many of them will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment.
- Although an estimated 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate, less than 10% actually do each year.
- Donating blood is a safe process. A sterile needle is used only once for each donor and then discarded.
- Blood donation is a simple four-step process: registration, medical history and mini-physical, donation and refreshments.
- Every blood donor is given a mini-physical, checking the donor’s temperature, blood pressure, pulse and hemoglobin to ensure that it is safe for the donor to give blood.
- The actual blood donation typically takes less than 10-12 minutes. The entire process, from the time you arrive to the time you leave, takes about an hour and 15 minutes.
First time donor? Haven’t given blood in awhile? Read this checklist so you know what’s expected of you.
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