Eleven Ways To Remember 9-11: Day Four Donate Blood

Donate blood today. An important way to remember September 11 is to donate blood – a gift that can not be replaced or duplicated.

There is a constant need for a regular supply of blood because it can be stored only for a limited period of time before it must be used. Whole blood, platelets, and Packed Red Blood Cells (PRBCs) all have different storage requirements and time limits, but all too often blood banks are short of blood they need. Regular blood donation by a sufficient number of healthy people is needed to make sure we have blood products for trauma patients, pregnant women with complications at childbirth, patients with cancer, and many others.

Blood is one of the the most precious gifts anyone can give to another person – the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components – red cells, platelets and plasma – which can be used individually for patients with specific conditions.

Still not convinced?

There are roughly 350 million people currently live in the United States. Every year almost seven million will donate blood.

Annually, this adds up to about 13.5 million units of whole blood donated in the United States. Additionally, it is important for blood banks to maintain diversity in the blood supply. Some blood types are very rare and are likeliest to be found among people with shared ancestral origins. These donors provide a source of life saving blood supply.

Eleven Ways To Remember 9-11: Donate Blood

We should never forget 9-11, but we should also never forget we can make a major difference in someone else’s life donating blood today while remembering yesterday.

Day One: Learn CPR 

Day Two: Volunteer

Day Three: Less Partisanship