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   The Hackensack community hosted a blood drive with Vitalant on August 22 at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church which helped collect a total of 74 units of blood products for patients in need. 

   A total of 69 individuals volunteered to donate blood and 62 individuals were able to successfully donate at the Vitalant blood drive on August 22. A total of eight donors also came forward to donate Power Red Cells (2RBC) which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution back to the donor. There were two people who volunteered for the first time!

   Vitalant expressed their gratitude to Loralee Torkelson, who coordinated the drive, and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church which provided the location for the blood drive, as well as others who assisted with the drive: Edith Johnson and Deen Swart.

   The need for blood is constant and Vitalant strives to always keep a 5-day supply of every blood type on the shelf to be able to meet the needs of patients across the region.  Trauma and burn patients, premature infants, heart surgery patients, organ transplant recipients and people fighting cancer all require blood transfusions for their care. 

   Blood donations are needed daily to maintain a strong blood supply and meet ongoing patient needs. Vitalant encourages healthy individuals to make blood donation a part of one’s regular routine to help meet the ongoing needs.

Donors can make a convenient appointment to give blood at www.donors.vitalant.org or by calling 877-25-VITAL. With each donation, donors receive a free total cholesterol test and earn reward points. The next blood drive is planned to be held on: Monday, October 23.

   Blood donation takes about an hour from check-in to refreshments, while the blood draw typically taking less than 10 minutes. Donors can save about 20 minutes by completing their Health History Questionnaire the day they donate on www.vitalant.org/health

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