Sioux Falls, S.D. (KELO.com) – With a large travel week ahead, Sioux Falls residents will have an opportunity to donate blood and support the 24th annual Heroes Behind the Badges blood drive event by joining Midwest Communications (500 S. Phillips Ave.) for a pre-Heroes blood drive on Monday, December 23 from 6:30am to 10:30am.
Donors will be able to cast their donation vote towards the department of their choice and receive a special t-shirt designed by the either the Sioux Falls Police Department or Fire Rescue.
“Midwest Communication and Community Blood Bank will be hosting this pre-Heroes Behind the Badges community blood drive to support the local blood supply as we head into the holiday week,” states Ken Versteeg, Executive Director, Community Blood Bank.
“The official kick off this year’s Heroes event is December 26th; however, we will be using this special blood drive event to draw attention to the need for blood donations in our community during the two holiday weeks. We see a trending pattern, as the holiday weeks approach, with increased blood usage and less donations. The public will have an opportunity to donate blood to impact patients’ lives in the area.”
Blood is needed each day in the United States to sustain the lives of patients in need. Whether used for surgery, traumas, during cancer treatment or other life-threatening medical conditions, blood is used to provide hope. There are many blood suppliers throughout the country, some are very large blood providers, some a little smaller and others are hospital operated. Community Blood Bank is hospital operated with a joint shared resource of Avera and Sanford Health Systems, meaning when you donate on the bloodmobile the donation will go directly back to our local hospitals to save local lives.
Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form found at www.cbblifeblood.org), weigh 110 lbs. or more and be in good general health the day of the donation. Please bring an I.D. It is recommended that a person eat and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating. Community Blood Bank is not associated with any other blood bank organizations.
For more information log onto www.cbblifeblood.org or call Community Blood Bank at 605-331-3222. Walk-ins are always welcome.
(The Sioux Falls Community Blood Bank contributed this report.)
