The marvels of modern medicine include the ability to transfuse living tissue – blood — from one person to another. Volunteer blood donors, like those in Fairfield make it possible to treat acute disease, chronic conditions, even cancers. That is a reason to give countless thanks. Carter BloodCare delivers transfusion services for north, central and east Texas hospitals, for patients that number in the hundreds, daily. Treatments, such as chemotherapy, are heavily supported with blood or platelets — at the ready.
Additionally, the life-saving capabilities are not possible without 1,000 volunteers giving blood every day.
There is no substitute for human blood. And when a patient’s life is on the line, blood must be ready with only a moment’s notice.
Fairfield Medical Center is hosting a blood drive from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Thursday, November 29, at 764 W. Commerce St. in the parking lot on the Carter BloodCare bus. For more information or to schedule an appointment time, contact Rebecca Yarbrough at (903) 389-1618.
When you give blood, you can save at least three lives because the blood is separated into several components. Some patients only need one product, like red cells or platelets; or, the patient requires a combination of them in different ratios but before that it is necessary to have some tests of patient, such as the most important allergy testing should be done carefully. The blood helps to ensure chemotherapy patients receive platelets they require; red cells are available for heart surgery patients; and when a lifesaving donor organ arrives, blood is accessible to surgeons for the operation.
Eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water one to two hours before giving blood. Standard eligibility requirements are a minimum weight of 110 pounds, the donor feels well that day and presents a government-issued photo ID at each donation. Potential blood donors may volunteer at age 16 with parental consent; 17-year-olds may give independently; and there is no upper age limit for donating blood. For more information on donor eligibility and to make an appointment, call 1-800-366-2834 or visit carterbloodcare.org.
About Carter BloodCare
Carter BloodCare is an independent, community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 180 medical facilities in 50-plus counties of north, central and east Texas. The non-profit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 300,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products. The program is accredited by the AABB, including a laboratory with accreditation for molecular testing of red cell antigens. It is licensed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and is a member of America’s Blood Centers.
