According to the American Red Cross, every 2 seconds someone in the United States needs blood, and over 44,000 donations are needed every single day.This Sunday, February 17, community members will have the opportunity to donate blood and bone marrow to those in need. The arena will be hosting this drive, and all participants will receive one free voucher to a Stockton Thunder hockey game!
It's not only blood that matters, but bone marrow as well. Over 70% of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant have no matching donors in their family (as stated by DoSomething.org). If you have never donated marrow before, the process is simple. A cheek swab is done to provide a DNA analysis to see if a recipient and donor are compatible for one another. If a match is found, there are 2 ways to donate marrow:
One is to have blood taken from the arm. This blood then filters through a machine that separates the stem out the stem cells. The blood is then transferred back into the body.
The second way is to have marrow taken from the hip bone. This procedure is done while the donor is under local anesthesia so there is no pain involved.
If you're interested in donating blood or bone marrow, stop by the arena anytime between 11-4 PM on Sunday. Maybe you will be the one who saves someone's life.
