As we move into the summer months our thoughts are often occupied by planning for and taken that long-awaited vacation. After a full year of work, goodness knows we have earned it. We need to be reminded that the needs of our community continue, and that the need of our hospitals for blood has not diminished.
An item in the Washington Examiner on Sunday, July 11 read “Region faces blood shortage: Although summer is historically slow for blood donations, the D.C. area has seen major blood shortages this year. Levels of type O-the universal blood type-are critically low”.
We will be co-hosting our next Blood Drive on August 14th, 8:00 am -12:30 pm in conjunction with our esteemed brothers at Ashburn-Sterling Lodge 288! I am hoping that everyone will consider signing up to donate. And if you can’t donate, please recommend our drive to your Family members, friends and co-workers. Giving blood is a generous, selfless, and beneficial thing to do for the community, and will help to ensure that an adequate supply of blood is available for the victims of accidents, patients needing to undergo lifesaving operations, and patients of all ages who depend on transfusion to survive.
Blood has to be there on the shelf ready to use if a disaster, an emergency surgery, or other unforeseen crisis occurs. It takes days of processing of donated blood in order to make it ready to use, and the only way to keep the blood supply ready is to donate whenever you can. Organizations like ours are huge help in the effort to ensure that the blood supply is maintained.
You can visit www.inova.org/donateblood and use sponsor code 7438 and make an appointment yourself, or you can call me at 703-655-4655 and I will make an appointment for you.
We have had success in our past blood drives, but the need never diminishes. We need volunteer donors now. Please consider being one of them.
We will also be hosting a Child ID program, sponsored by the Virginia State Police. Registering a child give parents an ID card for each child helpful for emergency situations.
When you participate you will be giving something that can’t be manufactured artificially in the lab, and might mean the difference between life and death for someone!!
Bro Rob
Blood Coordinator
