Patients Need Lifesaving Blood Donations This Season of Giving

This holiday season, nonprofit Vitalant reminds all eligible donors that a patient in the U.S. depends on lifesaving blood donations every two seconds. All who donate with Vitalant Dec. 2-20 will receive a $10 gift card in Vitalant’s Donor Rewards program and be entered to win one of five, $5,000 gift cards.

Blood donations must be ready for patients every day before they’re needed. Donations of all blood types are constantly needed, especially type O which is transfused the most. O-negative can help any patient. O-positive is nearly as versatile when there is no time to test a patient’s blood type. 

It was in December 2017 that blood donors helped save Sheriff’s Deputy Jeff Pelle’s life after he was shot in the line of duty on New Year’s Eve day. He needed five units of blood when he was rushed to the hospital with a collapsed lung, lacerated liver, and broken ribs. He went back to work in law enforcement after recovering from his injuries and has since become a father to two young daughters.

“I would not be alive today without those donations,” Pelle said. “My family would not be here today if it were not for those who donated blood to help me on my worst day.”

Most people are eligible to donate blood and it only takes an hour from registration to enjoying snacks after donating blood. Learn more and make an appointment to give at vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant app or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).