Blood drive set Monday in honor of deputies

A benefit blood drive will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday at River Parishes Hospital, 500 Rue de Sante, LaPlace.

The drive by United Blood Services is in honor of the St. John officers who were killed or wounded in Thursday’s shootings.

Those outside St. John parish can donate in the officers’ names at any of the following donation centers:

Baton Rouge: 8234 One Calais Ave.

Lafayette: 1503 Bertrand Drive

Morgan City: 1234 David Drive, Suite 102

Thibodaux: 2000 Audubon Ave., Suite E

Comments

1) Comment by knb - 20/08/2012

Blood cannot be manufactured, there is no substitute for it, and blood banks cannot pay people to donate blood for transfusions; so the only way to have blood available for patients in need is for ordinary people to step up and volunteer to donate blood for people they’ve probably never met before. After the blood goes through testing to ensure its safety, it sits on the shelf in the hospital ready to be transfused to a patient in need. Whether it be a car accident victim, a sickle cell patient, a patient undergoing chemo, internal bleeding, or another life-threatening issue, these patients rely on what is on the shelf at that very moment when they need it. Not only do blood donations provide priceless blood to patients in need, but those who use blood in the hospital receive monetary credits toward their hospital bills when others donate on their behalf. Just one pint of blood taken during a donation can save up to 3 lives: lives that will depend on what’s previously been donated when a tragedy like this strikes. 4.5 million people across the country receive blood transfusions each year. These are people we know: family, friends, neighbors. It’s critical that our community begins to learn and understand the importance of blood donation, so that when accidents and tragedies occur, blood is available. If only one more percent of Americans would donate blood, blood shortages would disappear for the foreseeable future. Just some food for thought.

2) Comment by CountryBoysCanSurvive - 18/08/2012

The "Blood Drive" is a feel good idea only. The wounded officers do not need blood. If you really want to help donate money to the families, they need it, the only people blood donations help is the blood bank.