Blood Assurance in need of donations needed for cancer, sickle cell patients

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – Blood Assurance is asking for lifesaving donations for cancer and sickle cell patients.

September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, Sickle Cell Disease Awareness Month and this week is National Blood Donation Week.

This month, Blood Assurance is reaching out to the community for blood and platelet donations in honor of patients whose survival depends on them.

Health officials say a small fraction of those eligible donate blood each year. This shortage means hospitals often have to work harder to secure units needed for patients, especially those who depend on transfusions as part of ongoing treatment.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cancer is the leading cause of death by disease among children.

Each year, about 15,000 children in the U.S. are diagnosed, and many will need transfusions during treatment to replace red cells and platelets destroyed by chemotherapy and radiation, according to officials.

Blood Assurance says sickle cell disease affects around 100,000 Americans, making it the most common inherited blood disorder in the country. The disease primarily impacts African Americans.

Many patients require transfusions every few weeks to prevent strokes, manage severe pain episodes and improve their quality of life.

For these patients, having a closely matched donor is critical, and that match is most likely to come from someone of the same race or ethnicity.

“These patients cannot fight alone,” said Garry Allison, Senior Vice President of Operations for Blood Assurance. “They need the support of their community, and your donation could be the one that helps a child with cancer or a person living with sickle cell disease live longer and with less pain.”

Each blood donation can save up to three lives, and platelet donations are especially critical for
cancer patients.
How to help today:

•  Visit www.bloodassurance.org/schedule to make an appointment.
• Call 800-962-0628.
• Donors must be at least 17 years old (16 with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health.

All donors who give September 1–15 will receive a special “Remember and Honor” t-shirt, created in memory of the tragic events of September 11, 2001.