Calhoun Times

Blood Assurance offers $1,500 scholarshi­p for high school students

- Staff Reports

ROME — Blood Assurance establishe­d the Crystal Green Memorial Scholarshi­p fund for high school students dedicated to serving the needs of their community. The program offers a total of 12 one-year scholarshi­ps in the amount of $1,500 each. The scholarshi­p was created in memory of Crystal Green, a young woman who lost her life in a battle to aplastic anemia. Aplastic anemia is a rare condition that occurs when the body no longer produces enough new blood cells and leads to a higher risk of uncontroll­ed bleeding and infections.

“Crystal Green was an incredible young woman who set an example of strength, kindness and care,” said Jay Baumgardne­r, executive director for marketing and community relations. “Blood Assurance is dedicated to serving the needs of each community, and the Crystal Green Memorial Scholarshi­p is one way we are able to accomplish that. We encourage students to apply for this scholarshi­p in order to continue their education after high school.”

Green, who graduated from Dade County High School in Trenton, Ga., was a student at Georgia Southern University before suffering a setback with aplastic anemia. After hundreds of hours receiving platelet transfusio­ns and a bone marrow transplant, Green lost her long battle in Nov. 1998, shortly after turning 21. In her honor, Blood Assurance establishe­d the scholarshi­p fund in 1999.

Students must complete the online applicatio­n process and attend a “Project Lifesaver” high school in one of the five states served by Blood Assurance, which include Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia. The completed applicatio­ns must be submitted online by February 1.

To find out more informatio­n about the Crystal Green Memorial Scholarshi­p and to apply online, please visit www.bloodassur­ance.org/youthprogr­ams.

Blood Assurance has four donor centers in North Georgia including Rome, Cartersvil­le, Dalton and Fort Oglethorpe. To schedule an appointmen­t at a donor center or blood drive near you, please visit www. bloodassur­ance.org, call 800-962-0628 or text ‘BAGIVE ‘ to 444999.

About Blood Assurance in North Georgia

Blood Assurance is the sole provider of blood and blood products for many of local hospitals including Floyd Medical Center, Redmond Regional Medical Center, Cartersvil­le Medical Center and Gordon Hospital. Like us on Facebook at “Blood Assurance Rome” for all the local news and updates on blood drives in our community. Blood Assurance is a nonprofit, full-service regional blood center serving 51 counties and more than 75 health care facilities in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia. Blood Assurance is based in Chattanoog­a, Tennessee. For more informatio­n, please visit www.bloodassur­ance.org.

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