Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Living Well

Tuesday, October 5, is the next opportunity that we have in Prescott and Nevada County to participate in the American Red Cross blood drive.

The need for blood is ongoing. Donated blood can be stored for just 42 days, and it's always a challenge to maintain an adequate supply. The folks who need blood are all ages and come from all social, economic and ethnic groups. Many receive transfusions to replace blood they have lost while in surgery or as a result of accidents or internal bleeding. Others need blood because of certain diseases.

Many blood recipients are hospitalized, but others may appear to you to be leading perfectly healthy lives. Among those who may be receiving blood on a one-time or ongoing basis are:

• accident victims;
• premature infants;
• cancer patients;
• sickle cell patients;
• hemophilia patients;
• leukemia patients; and
• burn and trauma victims;

Sometimes only one component of the blood is needed. For example, red blood cells may be used for anemia, heart operations, liver transplants and hip replacements. Platelets are used to treat cancers, such as leukemia, and just one patient may require the platelets from as many as eight individual donations on a daily basis for weeks.

It all adds up to the fact that thousands of people every day require blood, and there are never enough donors to meet the need. Help us by being a very special volunteer.

The Bloodmobile will be at Central Baptist Church next Tuesday, October 5, from 2:00 to 7:00 p.m.