CHENANGO COUNTY — The American Red Cross is experiencing a critical need for blood donors, and there are several opportunities to give whole blood and Power Red donations in Chenango County.
According to the American Red Cross, "Every day, blood donors help patients of all ages: accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those battling cancer. In fact, every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood."
All blood types can give whole blood donations, the most flexible type of blood donation. Whole blood is often used for trauma patients or patients undergoing surgery.
Power Red donations are ideal for individuals with type O positive, O negative, A negative, and B negative blood. This type of donation gives a concentrated dose of red blood cells, useful for trauma patients, newborns, emergency transfusions during birth, people with sickle cell anemia, and anyone suffering blood loss.
For those who would like to donate blood, the Red Cross recommends making an appointment ahead of time, which can be done online at RedCrossBlood.org/give.html/find-drive. They also recommend downloading the Blood Donor app, which provides appointment reminders, RapidPass, and more.
The day before donating blood, the Red Cross advises donors to eat iron-rich foods such as red meat, fish, poultry, beans, spinach, iron-fortified cereals, or raisins. Donors should also make sure to eat healthy foods, drink extra liquids, and get a good night's sleep the day before donating.
On the day of donations, donors should bring their donor card, driver's license, or two other forms of identification to their appointment, as well as a list of any medications they are taking. The Red Cross also recommends drinking an extra 16 ounces of water before donating, eating a healthy meal, avoiding fatty foods, and wearing a shirt with sleeves that can roll up above the elbows.
During donation, donors should also let Red Cross volunteers know if they have a preferred arm or vein to draw blood from, and are encouraged to relax during the donation process by listening to music, talking to other donors, or reading.
Donors can also try Applied Muscle Tension (AMT) exercises to reduce the risk of side effects from donating blood.
"Applied Muscle Tension (AMT) is a series of simple exercises that help your blood pressure stay up and improve blood flow, so your chance of experiencing any side effects, like fainting, stays low. These exercises can be performed throughout your donation and afterwards in the refreshment area," according to the American Red Cross.
After donating blood, individuals should keep their bandage on for several hours, avoid heavy lifting or vigorous exercise for the rest of the day, and keep eating iron-rich foods. Donors should also immediately sit or lie down if they experience any dizziness or lightheadedness.
If the needle site where blood was drawn begins to bleed, the Red Cross advises applying pressure and raising the arm straight up for five to ten minutes, or until bleeding stops.
Contact the American Red Cross at 1-866-236-3276 to report any additional health information that wasn't given during donation, if any problems arise, or if donors require any medical care after giving blood.
For more information on donating blood, visit RedCrossBlood.org.
Upcoming blood drives in Chenango County:
February 14: Noon to 5 p.m. at the South New Berlin Fire Department, located at 3519 State Highway 8 in South New Berlin.
February 21: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sherburne Fire Department, located at 15 West State Street in Sherburne.
February 27: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the NYS Veteran's Home of Oxford, located at 4207 NY-220 in Oxford.
March 1: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Christ Episcopal Church, located on Marion Avenue/State Highway 51 in Gilbertsville.
March 4: 1 to 6 p.m. at the Norwich VFW Post 2782, located at 61 East Main Street in Norwich.
March 8: 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the American Legion Post 376, located at 17 South Washington Street in Sherburne.
March 13: 2 to 6 p.m. at the Church of St. Bartholomew Parish Center, located at 81 East Main Street in Norwich.
March 19: 8:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. at the Sherburne Earlville High School, located at 13 School Street in Sherburne.
March 26: 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Sherburne Fire Department, located at 15 West State Street in Sherburne.
March 28: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Broad Street United Methodist Church, located at 74 North Broad Street in Norwich.