Traditionally, the holiday season is the time for giving gifts, and January is the time for dealing with the bills! This year, why not extend the spirit of giving past the holidays and into the New Year? Best of all, you can be a champion for giving without opening your wallets. At your convenience, you can offer a very useful and vital gift that no one will return or exchange, and even better, it costs you nothing but your time. That gift is a blood donation, which can literally be the gift of life.
Where can I donate blood?
Winter is a challenging time for blood banks. With the holidays, bad weather, and surges in colds and the flu during this time, the amount of blood donations can be significantly diminished. In 1970, the American Red Cross, which organizes most public blood drives, sought to increase awareness of the need to donate blood in the winter months by designating January as National Blood Donor Month. Their awareness activities remind people that donations are needed all year long, but especially in the winter. To find an American Red Cross blood drive near you, enter your zip code on the Find A Drive page.
How can I donate my blood?
There are two ways you can donate your blood:
- Donate Whole Blood. Donating whole blood is the most common kind of collection and takes about 30 minutes. You can donate whole blood about every two months.
- Donate Blood Platelets. Blood platelets are used for some cancer treatments. While donating platelets requires more of your time, it is worth the effort to help someone in dire need. You can make platelet donations even more frequently than you can whole blood donations.
To encourage blood donations, many community groups offer incentives, such as free movie tickets or grocery coupons. The best reward, however, is knowing that the blood you shared is doing an incredible amount of good for others, at no cost to you but a little time and a little pinch.
Where can I find more information on donating blood?
For more information or to schedule an appointment to donate, call 1-800-RED CROSS or visit redcrossblood.org.
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