Three area blood drives planned

Several blood drives are planned by the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center.

The first will be from 2-6:30 p.m. Monday at Mother Cabrini Parish Center in Richland. Those who last donated blood on or before Oct. 24 are eligible to participate. Call Judy Weber at 319-456-2249 to schedule an appointment.

The second will be from 3:30-7:30 p.m. Tuesday at the Lockridge Senior Center in Lockridge. Donors who last gave blood on or before Oct. 25 are eligible to participate. Call Sonja Graber at 319-696-3686 to schedule an appointment.

The third will be from 2-6 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Activity Building. Those who last donated blood on or before Oct. 27 are eligible to participate again. Call 800-452-1097 to set up an appointment.

The Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center mobile crew drew 287 units of blood at recent area blood drives.

Nov. 15, 38 units were drawn at the Hope Lutheran Church near Lockridge, 47 were drawn at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Activity Building, and 17 were drawn at the Batavia Senior Center.

Nov. 18, 61 units were drawn at the Fairfield High School.

Dec. 1, 18 units were drawn at the Birmingham Lions Building in Birmingham, and Dec. 5, 25 units were drawn at the Saint Mary Catholic Church.

Dec. 6, 47 units were drawn at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds, and 34 units were drawn at Cambridge Investment Research Inc.

A donor can give blood every eight weeks. According to the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center, donation is a safe, simple procedure that takes about an hour to complete.

Donors must be at least 16 years old, in good health and weigh at least 110 pounds.

A blood donor card or other photo identification is required; 16-year-old donors also must present a signed parental consent form each time they donate until reaching 17 years of age. Those forms are available from blood center offices, including the Ottumwa Blood Center.

People with controlled high blood pressure and diabetics are eligible to give blood.

One pint of blood can help save the lives of up to three patients, and one out of every five people entering a hospital will need blood products, according to the blood center.

For information, call the blood center at 800-452-1097.