SGTC To Host Blood Drive On Cordele Campus

South Georgia Technical College will host a blood drive for the American Red Cross on the Cordele Campus on Thursday, October 26 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The blood drive will be held in the LaPorte Auditorium and all eligible donors are encouraged to participate. Following recent natural disasters, blood is needed for emergency transfusions as well as replenish supplies that have expired. According to the American Red Cross the average shelf life of refrigerated blood is 42 days. By taking a moment from your day to donate, you may be giving someone else a chance at life. A single blood donation can be separated into components, which can actually help more than one person. Accident victims and surgery and anemia patients can benefit from red blood cells, and platelets help with blood clot and are often used for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Also, plasma is often used to treat patients suffering from burns, shock, or bleeding disorders. Most healthy people can give blood every 56 days. In order to give blood, an individual must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in good general health. Donors are encouraged to get a good night’s sleep the night before donating, eat a well-balanced meal, and drink lots of fluids prior to donating. For more information on blood donation, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (448-3543). To schedule an appointment to donate, visit www.redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code SGTC.