The need for summer blood donation was emphasized News, sports, work

Warren Scott ENCOURAGES GIVING — Officials with the Ohio River Valley Chapter of the American Red Cross and local media have joined forces to promote the June 19 blood drive. They include, from left, Cindy Taylor of WCDK-FM; Sharon Kesselring, branch executive director; Phyllis Riccadonna, the organization’s regional account manager; WTRF-TV’s Taylor Long; WTOV-TV’s Jessica Riley; Julie Stenger, community editor of the Herald-Star and Weirton Daily Times; and Ross Gallabrese, the newspapers’ editor-in-chief.

WINTERSVILLE — In preparation for this year’s Media Day blood drive in Jefferson County, officials with the Ohio River Valley chapter of the American Red Cross are urging area residents to take time to donate blood during the event or at any time during the summer.

Sharon Kesselring, executive director of the division, said the season almost always brings a significant drop in blood donations because people are busy with vacations and other summer activities.

But summer also sees the highest number of car and other accidents, which makes the need for blood even greater, she added.

“Someone needs blood every two minutes, so we need to make sure it’s on the shelf when someone needs it,” he added. Kesselring said.

The chapter has acquired various media to promote the next blood collection, which will take place on June 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the St. Events Center. Florian.

Selfless donors are welcome, but we encourage you to make an appointment by calling (800) 733-2767 (RED CROSS) or visiting RedCrossBlood.org and going to JeffMedia.

The website can also be used to search for other upcoming blood drives.

Appointments can be made using the free app, which can be downloaded from most electronic devices, or by visiting redcrossblood.org/blood-donor-app.

App users can also answer some questions typically asked to donors on-site, reducing the time they spend there.

Kesselring and Phyllis Riccadonna, regional customer service manager for the division, noted that anyone who donates blood from Friday through June 30 is being offered a $15 electronic gift card. Information about the offer can be found at rcblood.org/DoGood.

Red Cross T-shirts will also be distributed to people who donate blood during Media Day while supplies last.

Kesselring said she has seen families make it a tradition to donate blood together around Thanksgiving and suggested it could also be practiced in the summer, when many families gather for Independence Day, reunions and other occasions.

Riccadonna said they could ask “What does our family want to do to help others? Why not donate blood?”

“It doesn’t cost them anything except time.” Kesselring agreed.

O-negative blood is especially desirable because it can be given to anyone, while O-positive blood is useful because it is the most common type, but all blood types are needed.

The website also includes information on how to make a donation to the Power Red Foundation.

As part of this process, people with type O, A-negative or B-negative blood can donate two units of blood through a machine that collects red blood cells while also returning plasma and platelets to the donor.

The treatment takes about 30 minutes longer and is usually performed at an interval of no less than four months.

Riccadonna said another blood drive, details to be announced, is planned for July and will focus on people who require frequent transfusions due to sickle cell disease.

(Scott can be reached at [email protected].)

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