(File Photo of the Vitalant Logo)
Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News
(New Castle, PA) A nurse and mother who celebrated her fourth anniversary of beating a fast-growing aggressive form of invasive breast cancer recently is now joining nonprofit Vitalant to call for more community members to give blood during the month of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Blood donors played a key role at two different points in the treatment of Amy McCarter. A platelet transfusion first helped her to have the strength to continue her chemotherapy. When she prepared for surgery and radiation, a blood transfusion assisted in counteract anemia so she can be able to move forward, keep going her treatment, take care of her kids and eventually return to work.
According to McCarter: “I am here today because of incredible medical care, an army of people who supported me, and yes, because someone donated blood. Blood donation is life-giving. Blood donation is lifesaving. And somewhere, right now, someone is counting on a stranger to give. Please be that stranger.”
Over one-quarter of the nation’s blood supply helps patients that are receiving cancer treatment, while chronic illnesses, trauma care and transplant surgeries require blood each day, which makes regular donation a community need that is constant
Donors of all blood types are constantly needed to help patients, especially those that have the most-transfused type O. O-negative blood can help any patient, which makes it vital in emergencies, and O-positive blood can help patients with a positive blood type, which is over 85% of the population.
Vitalant donors who give between October 1st-31st will be entered automatically to win one of two $10,000 gift cards. You can give in these ways: visit vitalant.org, use and download the Vitalant blood donor app (click here) or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
According to a release from Vitalant, here are some upcoming local blood drives:
Upcoming Blood Drives
Beaver County
Darlington
Monday, Oct. 19
Lions-Little Beaver – Darlington Twp Building/Banquet Room
3590 Darlington Rd.
1 PM – 7 PM
New Brighton
Friday, Oct. 9
DeFilippi Rich Replenishment – YMCA/Multi-Purpose Gym
2236 3rd Ave.
12 PM – 6 PM
Lawrence County
New Castle
Tuesday, Oct. 6
Shenango High School – Gymnasium
2550 Ellwood Rd.
8 AM – 1 PM
Friday, Oct. 30
Holy Spirit Parish-New Castle – St. Camillus Church/McGurk Hall
314 West Englewood Ave.
11 AM – 4 PM
New Wilmington
Wednesday, Oct. 14
Wilmington Area High School – Gymnasium
400 Wood St.
8 AM – 12:30 PM