It’s hard to imagine possibly needing a blood transfusion. Most think it will never happen to them, but the reality is one in three of us will need blood at some point in our lives. Blood recipients are all around us, alive today because of the selfless act of blood donors. Trauma patients, cancer patients, premature babies and sickle cell patients are receiving blood every day. Hospitals could not operate without a safe, reliable and affordable blood supply. Community Blood Centers of Florida takes great pride in ensuring that the right unit of blood is available for the right patient at the right time.
Our mission is simple, and that is to save lives in our community. Blood cannot be manufactured – it must be collected from volunteer donors. Blood donated today will likely be transfused into a patient within two to three days. The turn-around is that fast, the need is constant.
I encourage you to think about hosting a blood drive. In addition to saving lives, the blood center also contributes to healthy workplaces because donating blood has numerous health benefits for the donor. Everyone who donates blood with us receives a free miniphysical that provides cholesterol level, pulse rate, blood pressure and temperature. With employers doing everything possible to manage medical insurance costs, donating blood is a sensible, no-cost way to help employees take responsibility for a healthy lifestyle.
If you are among the 5 to 10 percent of the population that donates blood I would like to take this opportunity to personally thank you for your generosity and for providing hope to ill and injured patients. If you have never donated before I would like to invite you to visit one of our branch locations or get aboard one of our many blood mobiles that venture out into our communities seven days a week.
Health care faces many challenges and the urgent need to recruit new blood donors is among them. The power one person has to save another is profound. All it takes is a little of your time and you will literally be giving someone else a second chance at life.
For more information on hosting a blood drive call Bill Foty at 954.449.3280 or to donate blood yourself visit www.cbcsf.org.
