Donor Traffic is Down, and the RRVBC Needs Your Help

The cold and flu season has hit the Rockford area really hard, and that impact is being felt at the Rock River Valley Blood Center (RRVBC). They really need some help, and they need it now.

Just got an email from our good friend Jennifer Bowman, PR and Marketing Manager of the Rock River Valley Blood Center. In the email, Jen points out that when people are feeling the symptoms of cold and flu season (like fevers, etc.) they are unable to donate blood.

That's resulted in a 13% decline in donations over the last month, or about 350 fewer donations than expected.

“When people have fevers and flu symptoms, they are not able to donate. That means we have an even smaller pool of willing people from which to supply area patients,” said Jennifer Bowman, RRVBC.

All eligible donors are encouraged to make and keep donation appointments.
There is also an urgent need for platelet donations. Platelets – a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, burn victims and bone marrow recipients – must be transfused within five days of donation, so it’s important to have a steady supply of platelets on hand.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given every seven days – up to 24 times a year. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.
For more information or to schedule an appointment to donate blood, call 815-965-8751 or visit rrvbc.org.