Blood Drive Set for Wednesday at Citynet Center; Donors to be Entered into Drawing for Gift Card
By Connect-Bridgeport Staff on April 02, 2024
Vitalant and United Hospital Center Seeks Blood Donors to Help Transplant Patients During National Donate Life Month in April
WVU Medicine United Hospital Center is partnering with non-profit blood services organization Vitalant to host a blood drive from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Citynet Center Court 1 located at 400 Forrester Blvd in Bridgeport.
UHC encourages eligible blood donors in the community to give at this important event. Appointments are recommended – either by phone at 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825) or by visiting vitalant.org.
As special thanks, all donors who give with Vitalant April 1-20 who opt-in to the Donor Rewards program will be entered into a drawing for 20 winners of $400 gift cards in the 2024 Earth Day Giveaway.
Vitalant supplies blood to UHC as well as other WVU Medicine facilities. Donors of all blood types are needed, especially type O donors.
Blood donations continually go out to hospitals to replenish the supply for patients and every donor can help more than one patient with each donation. Donors of all blood types are needed, especially those who have type O blood or donate platelets. Type O-positive is the most transfused blood type while O-negative can help patients of any blood type. Donated platelets, which often help cancer patients, must be used within a week.
“United Hospital Center is proud to partner with both Vitalant and The Bridge to host this blood drive. Blood donations are essential to saving lives, and we encourage everyone eligible to donate to do so. Our community has a track record of showing up and making each of our blood drives successful. I don’t expect this event to be any different”, said Ralph Johns, MT[ASCP], blood bank lead technologist.
Vitalant and UHC want to remind area veterans that the FDA recently updated its blood donor eligibility guidance. Those who have spent time in France, Ireland, or the United Kingdom are no longer permanently deferred from donating blood due to the risk of variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD, also known as mad cow disease).
Blood donors are encouraged to eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water the day of their appointment. Everyone should bring ID such as a driver’s license or Blood Donor I.D. card. There is no waiting period to donate after receiving an FDA authorized COVID-19 vaccine or seasonal flu shot.
