American Red Cross looking for donors

JACKSON, Mo. (KBSI) – Blood donations are vital during the holiday season and important for the people who depend on them.

“Up to three people can be helped with one blood donation,” said Shelby Bentley.

She is a donor recruitment account manager with the American Red Cross. She says hospitals can separate the three main components of your blood.

“Your platelets your red blood cells and your plasma, and we can use those for different hospital patients,” said Bentley.

The process doesn’t end there; further testing is part of the process.

“We send your blood over to a testing and processing facility, where they’re going to test your blood, and then it gets sent out to our local hospitals to help those patients,” said Bentley.

Joe Callahan with Servpro of Cape Girardeau says donating blood is one of the best things you can do for a good deed during the holidays.

“Just put yourself in their position,” he said. “If you needed blood if you had a medical emergency, wouldn’t you want it to be there waiting for you?”