January is the perfect time to honor the people who help others through the simple act of giving blood.
(Written by the American Red Cross)
Since 1970, January has been known as National Blood Donor Month in the USA. It’s a time when blood organizations like the American Red Cross pay tribute to the nearly 11 million people who give blood each year, and encourage others to start the New Year off right by coming to give the gift of life.
“Blood donors bring hope and promise to hospital patients who may need blood for their very life,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Donors are people like you who play a vital role in modern health care by helping ensure hospitals have blood for patients.”
January is a challenging time for blood donation because cold and snowy weather and busy post-holiday schedules can make it difficult for blood donors to keep appointments. Regardless of the time of year, hospital patients nationwide need about 44,000 blood donations daily for cancer care, surgeries, and the treatment of serious diseases and trauma.
The Red Cross encourages donors to make and keep appointments, both for convenience and to reinforce the feeling of commitment. Community members can also contribute to the blood supply by organizing or volunteering at a blood drive, or by suggesting blood donation to their family and friends.
“If volunteering in your community is on your list of resolutions, you can meet it by simply giving blood or recruiting others to give, too,” said Whitman. “Donating blood is a great way to make a lifetime of difference in just a little more than an hour’s worth of your time.”