LifeBridge Health Hosting Blood Donation Drives

LifeBridge Health is holding another round of blood drives as the American Red Cross continues to address a severe winter blood shortage.

Giving blood is a great way to make a difference in your community. About 1 pint of blood is given during a donation appointment, and that could potentially be enough to help save multiple lives.

LifeBridge Health will hold five blood drives in February. It is strongly recommended that you make an appointment if you intend to donate. However, every effort will be made to accommodate walk-ins. You can make an appointment via the American Red Cross website or by calling 1-800-REDCROSS.

The first blood drive was held on Feb. 1 at Sinai Hospital of Baltimore in the Zamoiski Auditorium. If you missed out on that blood drive, others will be held at Carroll Hospital, Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center and Hospital and Northwest Hospital on the following days:

• Friday, Feb. 3-Levindale Hebrew Geriatric Center (Multipurpose Room)
  9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m.




• Tuesday, Feb. 7-Northwest Hospital (Education Center)
  8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.




• Friday, Feb. 10-Carroll Hospital (Shauck Auditorium)
  6 a.m. - 5 p.m.




• Saturday, Feb. 11-Carroll Hospital (Shauck Auditorium)
  8 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.

You can schedule an appointment at Carroll Hospital by calling Debbie Keseling at 410-871-6846 or sending an email to debbiek@CarrollHospitalCenter.org. To schedule an appointment at Northwest, call the Blood Bank at 410-521-5926, email Alana Agustin at aagustin@lifebridgehealth.org, or visit the American Red Cross website.

Bring along your donor card, list of current medications, driver's license and/or two other forms of identification, and wear comfortable clothing, preferably a shirt with sleeves that can easily be rolled up above the elbow. Also, it's important to get a good night's sleep, eat a healthy meal and drink an extra 16 ounces of water or nonalcoholic fluids before you give blood. Be sure to avoid fatty foods, as they can interfere with mandatory blood work. Prior to giving blood, you will undergo a brief examination to check your pulse, blood pressure, body temperature and hemoglobin level.

The Red Cross recently issued an emergency call for blood and platelet donations. The organization, which provides roughly 40 percent of the nation's blood supply, must collect about 14,000 blood and platelet donations each day for patients in need. Collection efforts, however, have been hampered in recent months. There were considerably fewer donations in November and December, in part because inclement weather conditions led to the cancellation of nearly 100 previously scheduled blood drives. Demand for blood products at hospitals remains high despite the slowdown in donations.

Here is some additional information of importance concerning blood donations, courtesy of the Red Cross:

Who's eligible to give blood?

In general, donors must be in good health and at least 17 years old. You must also weigh at least 110 pounds. Some states, including Maryland, allow 16-year-olds to donate blood with a signed parental consent form, which is available online.

Which blood types are needed?

Most often, hospitals request blood type O. But all blood types are being sought.

What should you do after giving blood?

The Red Cross says donors should drink an extra four 8-ounce glasses of liquids and avoid alcohol over the next 24 hours after giving blood. Wrap bandages can be removed after an hour, but strip bandages should remain on for several hours. To avoid a skin rash, the Red Cross recommends cleaning the area around the strip bandage with soap and water.

In addition, it is recommended that donors avoid vigorous exercises, including heavy lifting, for the remainder of the day. If the needle site starts to bleed, you should apply pressure to it and raise your arm upward for about 5 to 10 minutes or until the bleeding stops. Should you experience dizziness or lightheadedness, simply sit or lie down until you feel better.

Eat iron-rich foods

Unfortunately, when you give blood, the iron levels in your body decrease. Your body needs iron to produce new red blood cells. Blood donors should eat a nutritious, balanced diet high in iron as well as vitamin C. The Red Cross recommends that frequent donors take a multivitamin with iron or an iron-only supplement to replace iron lost. People who have hereditary hemochromatosis, a disorder that causes the body to absorb too much iron, or who require treatment for iron overload by therapeutic phlebotomy (blood removal) are not eligible to give blood to the Red Cross.