Looking to help our community? Donate blood
Need is high, yet each pint donated can help save 2-3 lives
If you are looking to help the Yuma community as a whole this week, we have an easy suggestion: donate blood.
According to Vitalant, donation levels drop significantly during the 10 days between Christmas and New Year’s, and yet, oftentimes, there’s an increased demand for blood during this same timeframe.
Vitalant’s Marybeth Maselbas told the Yuma Sun that this time of year, more people are doing things outside of their normal routines. That in turn can lead to an uptick in unexpected situations such as car accidents, house fires, illnesses and more.
At the same time, Maselbas pointed out that many people delay medical procedures in December, waiting until January to take action.
All that adds up to January being the month with the highest need for donated blood.
The good news is, donating blood is a simple, easy thing we can do to positively impact our community.
The process is safe, and takes only about an hour from the point you walk in the door until you leave. You get a mini-physical in the process, and you learn your blood type, check your iron levels and figure out your blood pressure – an added bonus for participants.
The donation itself takes only 5-10 minutes – but those 5-10 minutes yield a pint of blood, which in turn can save 2-3 lives, Maselbas notes.
It’s astounding to think that one simple donation can have such an impact.
Vitalant is partnering with Yuma Regional Medical Center this week for two blood drives happening in Yuma just before the holidays.
The first is today, Dec. 21, from 2 to 6 p.m., followed by a second event Thursday, Dec. 22, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Both take place at YRMC’S Administration Building on 2400 S. Avenue A, and participants can sign up in advance at https://www.vitalant.org.
There are also three blood drives happening in January.
Jan. 11 – Antelope Union High School in Wellton, from 1-6 p.m.
Jan. 12 – Yuma Regional Medical Center Administration Entrance, 2400 S. Avenue A, from 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Jan. 14 – Elks Lodge #476, 1917 W. 32nd St. –
7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.
There aren’t many ways we can help save lives – but this is one clear way anyone can do so. And it only takes an hour of our day, which is time well-spent.