Knights of Columbus Council 8183 Hosts Blood Drive

The Knights of Columbus, Council 8183 at St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, teamed up INOVA Blood Donor Services to sponsor a blood drive on July 20, 2024. The drive was very successful resulting in 78-units of blood being collected. This is a community event in which 4- local churches, in collaboration with INOVA Blood Donor Services, reach out to our Lake Ridge community to help with the critically low blood shortage. Blood drives help to ensure a safe, ready supply of blood for our loved ones, our neighbors and ourselves. Our time, effort and enthusiasm are as vital as the blood we help collect. INOVA Blood Donor Services relies completely on volunteer blood donations with a large portion of the blood supply coming from group-sponsored drives. Blood donors can expect a well-trained, caring and professional blood collection team, modern, comfortable donation equipment and delicious refreshments provided by INOVA Blood Donor Services. At this drive we had collected whole blood, platelets, plasma, and double red blood cells.

Kevin Tamai, Past Grand Knight for the Council and blood drive coordinator stated “We are very grateful and blessed to have so many wonderful community members who are willing to step up to help save lives. The gift of blood helps save lives, and the demand for blood and blood products is great. Every 2 seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. We thank each one of our community members who took the time to donate blood and to save a life. Without them, many people would not be alive today because our donors help save lives every day. We host local blood drives in Lake Ridge about every 8 weeks in our community. Our next drive is on Saturday, September 14 from 7-11:30 a.m.”

For more information, please contact INOVA Blood Donor Services at 866-256-6372.

Here are some blood facts. Whole blood is the most common type of donation. Blood from one donation can be divided into two components: red blood cells and plasma. The average adult has about 10 pints of blood, but a typical whole-blood donation is only 1 pint. Red blood cells have a short shelf life. They only last for 6 weeks (42 days). Donating whole blood takes only about 10-15 minutes. You can donate whole blood every 56 days—and we encourage you to donate as often as possible.

Platelets are small, disc-shaped cells that aid in blood clotting. They are donated most often to cancer patients, organ recipients and those undergoing heart surgeries. Patients who need platelets often require multiple transfusions. Platelets do not last long. They have a shelf life of just 5 days. That's why it's so important to donate as often as you can. Those who have A, A‑negative, B, B-negative, AB or AB-negative blood types are strongly encouraged to donate platelets. Donors are connected to a machine that separates platelets and some plasma from the blood and returns the red cells (and most of the plasma) back to the donor. Donating platelets takes approximately 90 minutes. You can donate platelets every 7 days, up to 24 times a year.

Plasma is the light yellow liquid in your blood that makes up 50% of total blood volume. It contains proteins that help control bleeding and fight infections. It's used to treat various types of bleeding disorders. It's also given to patients who have suffered major traumatic injuries. Plasma can be frozen for up to a year. If you have type AB blood, you are a universal plasma donor. People who have blood types AB, AB-negative, A, A-negative, B or B-negative also are ideal donors for platelets. Donors are connected to a machine that separates out plasma and returns red cells to the body. Plasma donation takes about 40 minutes. You may donate plasma every 28 days.

Double Red donation - Red blood cells are the most commonly transfused blood component. Donors are hooked up to a machine that collects the red cells and returns most of the plasma and platelets to the body. Donations from type O donors are crucial to maintaining blood levels in the body. Double red-cell donors with type O, O-negative, B or B-negative types, as well as donors with Rh-negative blood are in short supply. You must meet higher hemoglobin and height-to-weight requirements to donate double red cells. Double red cell donations take approximately 40 minutes. You can donate double red blood cells once every 16 weeks (112 days).