Red Cross Blood Drive at SaddleBrooke Ranch April 27

Linda Shannon-Hills

SaddleBrooke Ranch will be hosting an American Red Cross Blood Drive on Saturday, April 27 from 7:00 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. in La Mesa and Montana Rooms located in La Hacienda Fitness Club. To make an appointment, call 800-733-2767 or go online to www.redcrossblood.org.

SaddleBrooke Ranch has only held nine drives in the last eighteen months with a total of 337 pints of blood. We are very proud of our participation to help with the significant blood shortage, but the need continues due to all the storms and cancellations of other blood drives. If you have never donated and have questions about what it takes to become a blood donor, check out the Red Cross Blood website to learn more. They need our help.

Cancer patients need platelets because cancers and cancer treatments prevent patients from producing their own. Trauma patients need Power Red, a donation that allows you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation, because red cells carry oxygen throughout the body and are frequently given to trauma and surgery patients. Power Red is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you. Whole Blood donations help Sickle Cell when from the same blood type and ethnic background and chronic disease patients as a single whole blood donation can help more than one person.

Please pass this notice along. The American Red Cross has a significant blood shortage. Every donation matters as blood is being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.

There are many ways you can make a difference.