Why Should You Donate Blood?

You don’t have to be a doctor
or a nurse to save lives.

When you give blood, you give someone another birthday, another anniversary, or another holiday. You give someone another picnic in the park, another walk on the beach or another night under the stars. You give someone another laugh, another hug, another chance.

The person who receives your blood donation may be a stranger to you, but that person is someone’s father, mother grandparent, child or friend. Your blood donation, your precious gift of life may be that someone’s only chance. Blood cannot be manufactured or harvested. Yet blood must be available for those who need it. It’s only source is healthy caring people who understand that giving blood is a community responsibility – people like you.

We all expect blood to be there for us, but barely a fraction of those who can give do. Yet sooner or later virtually all of us will face a time of great vulnerability in which we will need blood. And that time is all too often unexpected. Nine out of ten people will need blood at some time in their lives. One out of ten hospital patients require a blood transfusion. Although the average transfusion is three pints, some people require more. Blood is in constant demand for treatment of accidents, cancer patients, heart patients, and surgery patients.

Almost anyone who is healthy can donate blood. People taking most medications, including those for high blood pressure, cholesterol and diabetes can donate.

Blood Banks of Mid-Florida Medical Services, with locations in Winter Haven and Lake Wales, is your community blood bank serving eastern Polk County. For more information on giving the gift of life or to set up a mobile drive at your location, please call (863) 297-1840 or e-mail robbie.taylor@mfms.com.

Please. It’s less than an hour of your time.
It’s about life. Give blood.