Daniel Prince
The Blood Connection will be at Walmart today
If you are thankful for your life and want to give a gift to help save up to three other people’s lives, The Blood Connection wants to see you. They will have their bloodmobile in the parking lot of Union’s Walmart today from noon until 5 p.m. All donors will receive a $20 eGift card, plus they will receive bonus TBC Rewards points worth an additional $50 eGift card a couple of days after the donation. You can make an appointment online at donate.thebloodconnection.org and search for today’s blood drive. You can also save some time and fill out your health history questionnaire online before you go to donate.
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.