A total of thirty seven units were collected during a blood drive Tuesday at DeKalb Community Hospital by Blood Assurance, seven units more than the goal set for the drive.
Tom Lango of Walling, Tennessee was the winner of a Flat screen TV
Blood Assurance, official blood provider to DeKalb Community Hospital, was founded in 1972 to provide a safe and adequate supply of blood in the Chattanooga area. Prior to the creation of the region’s only blood bank, patients in need of blood transfusions were required to provide their own blood donors, who would donate blood at local hospitals. Your blood donation can save up to three lives. Each day a minimum of 400 donations are needed in our area
As Blood Assurance celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2012, it is once again appealing to the public for donations to ensure a continued adequate supply of blood for patients in need.
Bill Little, Administrator of DeKalb Community Hospital, said Blood Assurance partners with the local hospital to supply blood needs to our community, but more donors are needed to support it. “Its comforting to know that should you ever have an accident or blood loss, you can come here and receive that blood supply. We have a very close partner that we work with by the name of Blood Assurance and they provide all of our blood needs in the Smithville area as well as the greater surrounding middle Tennessee area. One sad fact though that we want to make sure everybody understands is that we use much more blood in our community than we receive. It is very important that we as a community rally and rise to the challenge to donate the gift of life,” said Little.
Jaclyn Booker, Representative of Blood Assurance, said blood drives are held here every fifty six days. “We are the sole blood provider in your area and we do need your help. Every fifty six days we do host a drive here at the hospital. Our bloodmobile comes out and is parked in the parking lot. Our next drive is June 26 from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. The bloodmobile will also be at the Family Medical Center on June 26 from 9:00 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. So I encourage everyone to come out and donate. We have free tee shirts that every donor receives. We also give away snacks and drinks and you can register for our monthly giveaway. Its usually something very fun and exciting for the community. We just really appreciate your support and the support of DeKalb Community Hospital,” said Booker.
“Blood Assurance has brought us up to this point this year, 117 units,” said Deborah Tuggle, Laboratory Supervisor at DeKalb Community Hospital. “Of those we have used seventy six, but only twenty three units have been donated from the community so we are in dire need for our community to donate blood so we can replace what we use. Blood Assurance does all the preliminary testing of the blood before we receive it and we do the cross matching to be sure its compatible with the patients. So I want to encourage everyone to come out and help us with the gift of life. We cannot create blood. Its not manufactured. We need you to give,” said Tuggle..
Gingie White, Marketing with DeKalb Community Hospital, urges you to make plans to donate during the next blood drive. “I want to thank everyone who came out Tuesday and to those who have helped us in the past and I want to encourage you to come out and partner with us in help saving lives. So put that on your calendar. The next Blood Assurance Blood Drive will be June 26 in the parking lot of DeKalb Community Hospital,” said White.
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