Your Opportunity to Save Three Lives Saturday at WestGate Mall Blood Drive

By: Tom Crabtree | News Channel 7
Published: August 13, 2009 | 0 Comments | Post a Comment

Each of us has an opportunity this Saturday to save three lives.

That's the impact each time a person donates blood.

This Saturday 8/15 at the WestGate Mall food court in Spartanburg, the Piedmont Blood Center is hosting "Jail Cells for Blood Cells" from 9 am - 5 pm.

Imagine a "jail and bail" where the emphasis is on collecting blood donations rather than money. You catch the drift!

I'm asking you to please consider joining me at the mall and become a blood donor.

I first donated in 1973 when I was a sophomore at NCSU and have donated regularly since. I've lost track of how much blood I've given. I've donated twice already this year.

I plan to roll up my sleeve and donate again at Saturday's blood drive and help the PBC meet its goal of 150 units. The PBC supplies blood to the five hospitals in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union Counties.

Including the paperwork time, your donation will take you maybe 45 minutes at most. You'll be treated with amazing TLC. You'll get cold drinks and snacks plus other handy stuff (I've never left a blood donation event empty handed).

If you have Saturday chores to do, I recommend you take care of them before you donate because you'll need to take it easy the rest of the day and have plenty to eat and drink (by the next day, your body has replaced the blood you've donated).

And you will have the amazing feeling of having saved three lives.

All blood types are needed, but if yours is one of the more rare blood types, the impact of your donation is even greater.

If you have blood donor friends/relatives who haven't given in awhile, please encourage them to come by the mall this Saturday.

Have a question about blood donation? Call Andrea Wall at the PBC at (864) 582-6366 or (864) 612-0007.

Along with other News Channel 7 personalities, I'll see you at WestGate Mall this Saturday!