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Spring is here, and everyone is so busy trying to get caught up on everything that the long winter would not let them get done. This all has slowed down blood collections and the Red Cross is trying hard to once again, build up the supply of blood on hand.

The need for blood is high for patients, whether it is a young child or an elderly person who may have been involved in a car accident, one who may be suffering from illness or have surgical complications or cancer. Regardless what might be the situation, the blood supply on hand for the state of Minnesota is low. We need to help eliminate the problem before someone that we know, needs an emergency transfusion.

Donors are needed for the Wednesday, May 25, 2011, Noon to 6 p.m. Bloodmobile, being held at the Emily City Hall. Donors need to be 17 years or older, no upper age limits, at least 110 pounds and in general good health. 16 year olds can now donate when a parent or guardian signs a Red Cross permission slip for them.

Four double red cell machines will be available for donors with blood types O+, O-, A- and B-. These blood types are the ones most in demand but all blood types are always needed.

Red Cross is using the appointment program for donors. As in a doctor's office, donors must set up an appointment. They are allowed 15 minutes after the scheduled time, to arrive at the blood drive before they lose their appointment. Walk-ins will be given the next available appointment. In the case that a scheduled donor, with an appointment, does not arrive during their allowed 15-minute time frame, the walk-in donor will be able to fill that appointment. By this procedure, Red Cross feels that donors will have less of a wait.

Fifty-six days between blood donations are required, so anyone who donated at Emily's bloodmobile in January is also eligible again to be a donor now in May.

Donors who occasionally have low iron counts are reminded to improve their iron levels by either taking over the counter iron supplements and/or adding iron rich foods to their diets. Meat, fish and poultry are the best absorbed iron rich foods. Iron fortified cereals, beans, raisins, baked potatoes, and breads and pasta made with iron enriched flour are also encouraged to be eaten. Foods high in Vitamin C will help absorb the iron; while tea, coffee, bran, and antacids block the absorption of iron.

The Emily area now hosts three bloodmobiles each year with this being the 54th held over the past 23 years. It is open to anyone; all blood types are needed. To sign up to be a donor at Emily's bloodmobile please call coordinator Nancy Moritz, RN at 763-3097 for an appointment. Donors are invited to help recruit new donors.

We continue to dedicate our blood drives to all of our area friends and relative who have required blood transfusions. We want to make sure that blood is available for them, whenever it is required. The Bloodmobile is a community project sponsored by the Emily, Outing, Fifty Lakes Lakers Lions.



Nancy Moritz,

Emily Bloodmobile

Coordinator

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