Sheldon, Iowa — You can help save lives by giving the gift of blood at some upcoming blood drives in the area.
The Community Blood Bank — the provider of blood and blood products to almost all hospitals in our area — will hold a drive with two locations in Sheldon this coming Tuesday, May 16th.
Community Blood Bank Executive Director Ken VerSteeg tells us more.
He says now is the time of year when the hospitals see more accidents, so your blood donation is even more important.
He says if the schedule doesn’t work out for you that day, they have other drives coming up too.
Just a point of clarification — the Sanford “open house” that VerSteeg mentions is actually the Sanford Sheldon Health Fair and SCAT Supper, which is not at Sanford Sheldon, but rather at the Lifelong Learning and Recreation Center on the campus of Northwest Iowa Community College.
He says that blood donors must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with a signed parent consent form, which can be found at www.cbblifeblood.org) weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good general health. He says they recommend that you eat, and drink plenty of fluid prior to donating blood.
VerSteeg encourages people to give, especially if it’s their first time. He has some advice to those who a squeamish about needles. He says it’s no big deal, and that it makes it easier to remember that you quite possibly could be saving someone’s life.
He says that they encourage people to support their own blood type, but at this time they are in specific need of O positive, A positive, and B negative blood.
If you have any questions, or for more information, visit www.cbblifeblood.org.
