Blood Donations Requested During the Holidays

Daniel Prince

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Four blood drives planned at Walmart before the end of the year

The Blood Connection will bring several opportunities to give the gift of life this holiday season. Four blood drives are planned at Union’s Walmart between now and the end of the year. They will be in the Walmart parking lot this Saturday, December 10, from 1-6 p.m. All donors will receive a $20 eGift card. They will return to Walmart on Monday, December 12 from 2-7 p.m. They have another drive planned for Saturday, December 17, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The final one listed for this year, so far, is set for Monday, December 26, from 2-7 p.m.

You can make an appointment online at donate.thebloodconnection.org and search for the blood drive of your choice. You can also save some time and fill out your health history questionnaire online the day of your donation.

To prepare for your blood donation, be sure to eat a healthy and hearty meal before donating. Drink at least 2 cups of water before donating. Bring your donor card or photo ID with your birth date with you when you donate. Platelet donors must also be aspirin-free for 48 hours prior to donating.

If you qualify, you can donate double red blood cells. These are the most transfused blood product and thus are most needed by local hospitals. Red blood cells are typically given to trauma patients, newborns, and others suffering from blood loss or blood disorders. It does take around 20-30 minutes longer than a whole blood donation. You can make a double donation up to three times a year. If you make a double donation, you will receive extra TBC reward points. A donor must be 16 years old or older, meet certain height and weight requirements, and have a hemoglobin level of 13.3 or higher.