By Brooke Curley
brooke@gilavalleycentral.net
Graham County – Although many individuals can’t drop everything and head to Texas or donate cash, there is one thing almost everyone in the Gila Valley can do to help Hurricane Harvey victims, donate blood.
One donation of blood from a single individual has the ability to save up to three lives. At this time, the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center is in desperate need of more than 2,000 units of blood. As always, the blood type that is most desperately needed is the O Positive and 0 Negative types.
Many Texas blood donation centers have been closed because of the widespread damage and flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey. The closing of the Texas blood donation centers combined with the disaster of Hurricane Harvey itself created a massive need for blood donations.
Although many individuals believe the blood is needed just for the trauma victims of Hurricane Harvey, the blood actually is needed many others. Aside from the trauma patients, the blood is needed for a wide range of medical needs from those in childbirth to individuals going through cancer treatments.
Blood donation events are as follows:
Sept. 6: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Institute at EAC from 9:30 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sept. 13 and 14: Mount Graham Regional Medical Center from 9 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sept. 18: Thatcher VFW from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Sept. 19: Morenci Club from 12-5:30 p.m.
Sept. 20: Manor House from 11:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
For more information on blood donation eligibility visit redcrossblood.org/donating-blood/eligibility-requirements.
