BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//jEvents 2.0 for Joomla//EN CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VTIMEZONE TZID:America/Chicago BEGIN:STANDARD DTSTART:20201101T010000 RDATE:20210314T030000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0500 TZOFFSETTO:-0600 TZNAME:America/Chicago CST END:STANDARD BEGIN:DAYLIGHT DTSTART:20200902T000000 RDATE:20201101T010000 TZOFFSETFROM:-0600 TZOFFSETTO:-0500 TZNAME:America/Chicago CDT END:DAYLIGHT END:VTIMEZONE BEGIN:VEVENT UID:95842f079f4af218b0f74192cc329a12 CATEGORIES:Community Calendar SUMMARY:Red Cross Blood Drives DESCRIPTION;ENCODING=QUOTED-PRINTABLE:
Help tackle the need by giving blood with the Red Cross
< strong style="background-color: initial;">Upcoming Red Cross blood donation opportunities Sept. 1-15
9/ 3: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dan Hecht Chevrolet-showroom, South Route 45, Effingha m
9/9: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m. , Ramsey Christian Church, 206 South Jefferson
9/10: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Flora First United Methodis t Church, 103 E. 3rd Street, Flora
9/14: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Dutch Prairie Community, 983 N 1300th S t, Shobonier
9/14: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Vandalia Moose Lodge, 328 South 3rd Street
While summer winds down, the Red Cross is concerned that the rise in COVID-19 cases due to the delta variant and a potentially activ e hurricane season may further challenge the ability to collect and meet ho spital demand. In recent weeks, the Red Cross has seen blood donor turnout decline by nearly 10% while hospital demand continues to outpace donations. This decline is believed to be due to multiple reasons, including the cont inued effects of the pandemic on blood drive cancellations and donor availa bility as well as back-to-school preparations for many families.
In addition, September is Sickle Cell Aw areness month. Tanjila Bolden was diagnosed at 18 months with sickle cell d isease. Both of her parents carried the sickle cell trait, but Tanjila was the only one in her family to have the full-blown disease, which occurs in about 1 out of every 365 African American births. Those with the disease ha ve red blood cells that are crescent- (or sickle-) shaped. As travel throug h the blood vessels, the sickle cells clog blood vessels. The condition req uires frequent blood transfusions.
After struggling through many hospital visits, the native of Houston e arned her high school diploma while living in St. Louis, where she moved wh en she was 8 years old. Tanjila’s high school graduation gift was a trip ba ck to Houston, where she ended up being admitted to the hospital and told s he had to have an exchange transfusion – the complete replacement of all he r blood. Doctors said that while the procedure could kill Tanjila, doing no thing would definitely kill her. She chose to go through with the procedure , which meant sitting with limited pain medicine for hours as a machine slo wly removed all her blood and replaced it with fresh donor blood. The trans fusion saved her life.
“Peopl e do not realize the power that is in blood—that the one bag of your blood you donate can save the lives of three people. I was wheeled into the room where the procedure took place—unable to walk and in a crisis. After the tr ansfusion, I walked out of the room.”
Make a game plan to donate – patients are relying on the kindness of blood and platelet don ors for their continued treatment. Schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visitin g RedCrossBlood.o rg, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabli ng the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.
Donors who come to give throughout the month of Sept ember will receive a free haircut coupon by email from Sport Clips Haircuts .
Health insights for donors
At a time when health information has never been more important, the Red Cross i s screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from self-identified A frican American donors for the sickle cell trait. This additional screening will provide Black donors with an additional health insight and help the R ed Cross identify compatible blood types more quickly to help patients with sickle cell disease. Blood transfusion is an essential treatment for those with sickle cell disease, and blood donations from individuals of the same race, ethnicity and blood type have a unique ability to help patients figh ting sickle cell disease.
Donors can expect to receive sickle cell trait screening results, if applicable, within one to two weeks through the Red Cross Blood Donor Ap p and the online donor portal at RedCrossBlood.org.
Blood drive safety
Each Red C ross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safet y and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vac cination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all t hose in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to ar riving at the drive.
How to donate blood
< p>Simply download the American Red Cross Bl ood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more informat ion. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most state s (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. H igh school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next do
nation by using RapidPass®
About the American Red Cross:
The Americ an Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; d istributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to del iver its mission. For more information, please visitredcross.orgor cruzrojaamericana.org a>, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCro ss.
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