Feral Hog Festival to host blood drive with Carter BloodCare in Ben Wheeler
BEN WHEELER, Texas (October 17, 2017) – October brings out the pranks and parties, in addition to the vampire jokes directed at blood-collections staff with Carter BloodCare. While it is all intended for fun, some blood donors do feel uneasy anticipating the needle sticks. One suggestion for those donors is to consider the person who might receive your donated gift of blood.
Patients receiving blood transfusions are often the sickest hospital patients. They typically endure several needle sticks in the process of receiving medical care. Remembering someone else’s pain and suffering can ease the thought of a brief pinch that might be felt during blood donation. There is no substitute for human blood; therefore, no substitute for blood donors.
It takes about an hour to give one pint of whole blood and save three lives. Blood transfusion can do more than save a life – it can provide hope and renewed energy for folks who battle a chronic blood disorder while working and living life.
Feral Hog Festival is hosting a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, October 21, at 13814 State Highway 64 in the parking lot on the Carter BloodCare bus. For more information or to schedule an appointment time, contact Dennis Currey at (903) 479-3060.
October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Your blood donations can help breast cancer patients who may require blood transfusions of red cells or platelets. According to the American Cancer Society, most chemotherapy drugs affect blood-producing cells in the bone marrow. This can lead to low blood cell counts that put the patient at higher risk for life-threatening infections or internal bleeding. Surgical treatments might also lead to blood loss and a doctor’s order for a blood transfusion.
Remember to eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water one to two hours before giving blood. All donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well on the day of donation, and present a government-issued photo ID each time they give blood.
Potential blood donors may volunteer beginning at age 16 with parental consent; 17-year-olds may give independently and there is no upper age limit for donating blood. For more information on donor eligibility and to make an appointment, call 1-800-366-2834 or visit carterbloodcare.org.
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is a community based, non-profit blood center that provides life-saving transfusion resources to more than 200 medical facilities in 50-plus counties of north, central and east Texas. The 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 300,000 blood products annually to meet patients’ treatment requirements. Carter BloodCare’s services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products. The center is accredited by the AABB, including a laboratory with accreditation for molecular testing of red cell antigens. It is licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is a member of America’s Blood Centers.
