Blood Assurance celebrates blood donors during jam-packed July event

Local non-profit blood center, Blood Assurance, is celebrating blood donors all month long during its JamPacked July event.

Blood Assurance is giving away a different gift almost every day to thank current donors and to draw in those interested in giving blood for the first time.

“Summer is always a difficult time for us with kids being out of school, people being out of town, and increased usage due to travel and outdoor activities,” said Dr. Liz Culler, chief medical officer at Blood Assurance. “We hope our donors will enjoy these great gifts and that some who have been on the fence about giving may be encouraged to give the gift of life.”

Gifts in the event include a bandana for pets, handheld misting fan, cooler tote bag and $10 gift cards to Starbucks, Chipotle and Papa John’s. In addition, Blood Assurance is giving away one Yeti cooler each week in July and giving away three MacBook Pros to high school students who donate July 19-25.

Blood Assurance has been in critical and urgent need of blood donors for months and has still not seen the same number of donors as before the pandemic began. Patients in local hospitals count on blood donors every day for a host of issues including cancer, trauma, childbirth and more.

Blood Assurance is the sole supplier of blood products to the Fort Oglethorpe area. All blood received by patients at hospitals in the Fort Oglethorpe area is given by Blood Assurance donors. Blood cannot be manufactured, and all blood used in hospitals is given by volunteer donors.

Blood cannot be manufactured and Blood Assurance counts on volunteer donors daily to save lives. One blood donation can save three lives in area hospitals.