Every three seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Traditionally blood supplies decrease at this time of year due to the holidays. Many donors are out of town or simply too busy to donate.
This fact hit close to home recently when a plea from the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank went out for O-positive blood for the Rev. Tom Mabe, Luverne.
Mabe remains in the intensive care unit of Sioux Valley Hospital after suffering a dissecting aortic aneurysm.
After the word got out, friends and neighbors willingly responded. The hospital was inundated with calls from more than 100 local people who volunteered to give blood.
Several donated at the Blood Bank itself; others waited until the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank traveled to Luverne.
Mabe is one of many whom blood donations can help. Each donation can help three different seriously ill patients.
According to the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank, a pint of blood is broken into three different components used differently by patients.
Blood is used for trauma patients, surgery patients and cancer victims. The Blood Bank currently needs all types of blood.
The Blood Bank hopes to increase area blood supplies by celebrating the 31st Anniversary of National Blood Month in January with the theme "Give Blood ... The Gift of Life."
When donations decrease, calls are made to potential donors to remind them to give blood.
Donors must be 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health. The most common reason people cannot donate this time of year is antibiotics. A donor must be off medication for 24 hours before donating.
In 2000, around 21,000 pints of lifesaving blood were donated at the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank, with 182 donated at the blood drives held in Luverne. More is needed to help thousands of seriously ill patients in our region.
The Blood Bank is sponsoring another drive from 2 to 4:30 p.m. at Luverne Community Hospital on Jan. 19 to give people another chance to donate the gift of life.
Since the Sioux Falls Regional Blood Bank supplies Luverne Community Hospital with all its blood, blood collected from these drives is used to help our friends and neighbors.
For more information or to reserve a time to donate contact LaDell Petersen.