Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. A blood drive is essential to build up the blood supply to help patients survive surgeries, cancer treatment, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries. This lifesaving care starts with one person making a generous donation.
The need for blood is constant. But only about 3% of age-eligible people donate blood yearly.
You can help the American Red Cross make sure that supply meets demand.
And when you do, you'll get free tickets to Kings Island/Cedar Point!
Visit https://www.redcrossblood.org/ to register
Blood Donation Tips
If you plan to give blood, the Red Cross provides the following tips:
Drink plenty of water. Staying hydrated makes it easier to find your veins and prevents you from becoming light-headed after donating, Dr. Vossoughi says.
Eat well beforehand. Don’t skip breakfast, and be sure to eat snacks offered to you. “These things will help you tolerate the donation well and feel like yourself the rest of the day,” she says.
Exercise before donating blood, not afterward. It’s OK to go to the gym before you donate blood but not so wise afterward. “We don’t want people getting dizzy,” Dr. Vossoughi says. “You’ve basically done your workout for the day once you’ve donated blood.”
Take iron tablets. The American Red Cross recommends that individuals who donate blood frequently take an iron supplement or a multivitamin with iron. “More and more, we’re recommending that teenage donors in particular take iron, because it’s been shown that teenage donors may become iron deficient after blood donation,” Dr. DeSimone says.
Sponsor: American Red Cross, Indiana chapte