|
|
A Gift of Blood: Low Cost, High Value
Blood is
a gift we can give at no cost to ourselves, yet it can mean so
much to another. Accident victims, people undergoing surgery
and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or other
diseases all utilize blood.
At the St. Luke's Hospital Blood Bank, 90 percent of the blood used in the hospital comes from local volunteer donors and is used at the three hospitals sites: Charlton Memorial in Fall River, St. Luke's in New Bedford and Tobey in Wareham.
You are eligible to donate if you:
- Are in good health (no colds or flu).
- Are age 17 or older.
- Weigh 110 pounds or more.
- Have not taken drugs or alcohol recently.
- Have your physician's permission if you are over age 70.
When you come to the Blood Bank, a member of our staff will discuss your medical history and make sure you are able to donate. Potential donors also fill out a confidential questionnaire on their medical backgrounds. These measures safeguard the health of the donor as well as the health of the person receiving blood. The interview and the actual donating combined usually take 20 to 25 minutes. The donor's body replaces the fluid lost from donation in 24 hours and the red blood cells in about eight weeks.
To make an appointment to give blood, call 508-961-5320. The St. Luke's Hospital Blood Bank is located at 101 Page Street in New Bedford. Its hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m.
List of Articles