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Blood drive Wednesday at TCAT
The Scott & White Blood Center's bloodmobile will be in Taylor today. The Rotary Club of Taylor is hosting a blood drive Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Temple College at Taylor. The bloodmobile will be in the TCAT parking lot. According to the Scott & White Blood Center, all of the blood collected from local donors will remain in and be used by the Scott & White system, which needs approximately 300 units of blood each week to meet the needs of its patients. According to the Scott & White Blood Center, treating an accident victim can take up to 50 units of blood; an organ transplant patient can use as much as 100 units. While demand is high, supply nearly always is critically short. Although more than half of the population is eligible to donate blood, only about 3 percent actually give blood, according to the blood center. To be eligible to give blood, donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health on the day they donate blood. People with upper respiratory infections, cardiac problems, chronic liver disease and those who have had hepatitis after age 10 should not give blood. There are other conditions and even some medications that preclude donors from giving blood but a short questionnaire should identify those who cannot give. Once blood is drawn it is tested for HIV, hepatitis and other infectious diseases. Donors must have a photo ID; a driver's license, employment ID or even a Sam's ID will suffice. The process of giving blood takes 30 to 45 minutes. Other facts provided by the blood center: Blood is usually separated into different components, each with a specific function. Whole blood may be used to increase both red cell mass and plasma volume. Red cells carry oxygen and are frequently used in the treatment of anemia. Leukocyte-reduced red blood cells may be used to prevent febrile reactions due to white blood cell antibodies. Platelets are used for patients with bleeding disorders. Plasma is used to treat some coagulation disorders. Cryoprecipitated AHF is for fibrinogen deficiency. The U.S. Surgeon General and all medical authorities agree that it is not possible to catch any disease by giving blood. Giving blood is easy. Following registration, potential donors answer simple medical history questions and receive a mini-physical. There is a brief pinch as the needle is inserted and the donation process takes five to eight minutes. The entire process takes approximately 30 minutes to an one hour. Giving blood saves lives. Because donations are processed into a variety of blood components, each donation can save the life of as many as four people - people with leukemia, cancer, anemia, severe burns, hemophilia and those undergoing surgery for illness or injury. A person can donate blood every 56 days. More than 4 million lives are saved in the United States each year by blood transfusions. Whole blood cannot be made synthetically; healthy people are the only source. After one pint is donated, the body replaces the fluid portion within 24 hours, the platelets within two days and the red blood cells within 56 days. While any donor who shows up Wednesday will be welcome, to preregister for a time to give call the blood center at (877) 724-9181.
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