Just got a note from our good friend Jennifer Bowman at the Rock River Valley Blood Center, asking for some help in spreading the word about RRVBC's need for donors both before and after the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center is asking healthy individuals to donate blood or platelets either before or after the Memorial Day weekend.  At this time, there is a great need for Negative Blood Types and platelets*.  Donors can donate at any of RRVBC’s four locations or at a mobile blood drive.  For a detailed list of blood drives and donor center hours and locations, please visit www.rrvbc.org

Donating blood is safe and simple.  You are most likely able to donate if you are at least 17 years old (16 year olds may donate with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in general good health.  Persons taking medications are not necessarily disqualified.

The Rock River Valley Blood Center serves as a centralized, community blood center and is the sole provider of blood products and services to Beloit Health System, Edgerton Hospital and Health Services, FHN, OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center, Rochelle Community Hospital, Rockford Health System, SwedishAmerican Health System and SwedishAmerican Medical Center—Belvidere.  For more information or to make an appointment to donate blood, please call toll free 877-RRVBC-99 or find RRVBC on the web at www.rrvbc.org.

*Platelets are used for a variety of patients most often those undergoing cancer treatments and surgery. Platelets are special cells made in your bone marrow that help prevent bleeding. Platelets are a lifesaving transfusion to help sustain these patients as they fight their disease/condition. “The method through which we collect platelets is an automated procedure called platelet apheresis (ay-fur-ee-sis). Apheresis is a special kind of blood donation that allows a donor to give a specific blood component, in this case, platelets. The collection process does take longer than the usual whole blood donation and requires that donors have adequate platelet counts and vena structure.”

 

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