Red Cross seeks blood donors

Bourbon County Red Cross officials will soon be looking for donors to help share their gift of life during the agency's first blood drive of 2008.

In celebrating National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, the Bourbon County Chapter of the American Red Cross will conduct its first blood drive of the year from 1 to 7 p.m. Monday, and from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday at Fort Scott Community College, 2108 S. Horton St.

Whendi Martin, the executive secretary for the local agency, said officials will try to draw 150 units, or pints, of blood on the first day of the drive, and 50 units on the second day. Each donor will be asked to give one pint of blood. Registered donors will also have an extra incentive, as each person who comes in to donate next week will become eligible to win one of six $25 Mastercard gift cards.

The American Red Cross is conducting a prize drawing to recognize the contributions of thousands of volunteer blood donors across the country, Bourbon County Chapter of the American Red Cross Board of Directors Blood Service Chairman Tom Byler said.

Byler said all registered donors, whether or not they are actually able to donate blood, will be part of a drawing to win one of the six prizes.

"Whether it's your first time, or you've given multiple times, as long as you sign in, you're eligible for the drawing," Byler said. "Even if you don't fill a unit. As long as you try to donate, you're eligible."

National Volunteer Blood Donor Month not only honors those who give blood, but is also a time to educate and encourage new donors about the importance of giving blood. January is a time when blood supplies often fall to their lowest levels. Elective surgeries are sometimes postponed until after the start of the new year. Busy schedules, inclement weather and illness leave donors unable to make or keep donation appointments. Blood has a shelf life of only 42 days, and therefore constantly needs to be replenished. Donors can give blood every 56 days, or up to six times each year, a Red Cross statement said.

Byler and Martin said currently there is no critical blood shortage in Bourbon County, although supplies of blood are always needed.

"Right now there's no shortage, but there's always a need," Byler said.

"There is a blood shortage everywhere, not just in Bourbon County," Martin said. "It's just not at critical levels. But we always welcome donors."

Shortages of all blood types often occur during the summer and winter months, a Red Cross statement said. Blood centers often run short of type O and B blood, the statement said.

Martin added that the local Red Cross chapter has blood drives planned each month through June. It is important that many people try to donate blood a few times each year so Red Cross officials can keep adequate quantities of blood on hand, Martin said. It is also often difficult to find rare blood types and some people are simply not able to donate blood for various reasons, she said.

Dedicated donors and volunteers in Fort Scott have committed to give their time and blood to help patients in need by hosting six blood drives in 2008. Regular blood donors are encouraged to make an appointment to donate as soon as possible. Those people who have never donated can find more information online at www.bloodgiveslife.org, or by calling (800) 448-3543 to make an appointment.

Donors must be in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be at least 17 years of age, or 16 years of age in Kansas with a completed parental consent form. The required consent form and reading materials can be found and printed online at www.bloodgiveslife.org, an American Red Cross statement said.

According to the statement, about 34,000 pints of blood are used each day in the United States, and 500 pints of blood are needed each day in the Central Plains region, which includes Kansas and northern Oklahoma.