From the January 31, 2002 edition of The Wayne Herald:
January is declared National Volunteer Blood Donor month
Since 1970, January has been declared National Volunteer Blood Donor Month.
To help ensure an adequate blood supply, the Siouxland Community Blood Bank has joined forces with the American Association of Blood Banks to stress the importance of giving the gift of life through the donation of blood.
Also during Volunteer Blood Donor Month, past and present donors are honored and new donors are encouraged to participate.
According to Jan Twait, blood bank executive director, the need for blood is constant and volunteer donors contribute to nearly all the blood used for patient care in the United States. "If everyone who was eligible to donate wold do so three or four times a year,
blood needs could be met and blood shortages would become a thing of the past."
Among donors being honored are those right here in Wayne, where hundreds of units are collected every year. Everyone depends on blood more than they realize. Every three seconds someone needs blood in the United States. Each day patients across the country
receive approximately 32,000 units of this vital resource.
In 2001, more than four million patients required blood transfusions because of accidents, disease, cancer and surgery.
Over 900 volunteer donations are needed each week to meet the needs of 25 Siouxland Hospitals. Each donation can save up to three lives.
