The American Red Cross is partnering with the Topanga Community Center for another blood drive on March 12, 2021. The TCC has hosted two previous Red Cross Blood Drives in March and October of 2020.
The American Red Cross will test all participants for COVID-19 antibodies and let you know if you have them. This drive is only for blood and power reds, not plasma.
“St. John’s Hospital emergency room ran out of blood last week. In the past, primarily college students donated blood, but with colleges shut down there are fewer people giving blood,” TCC board member Terri Moriarty explained. The last blood drive collections went to the Children’s Hospital, and the fire victims in Orange County. Before that, the blood was taken to UCLA and St. John’s. Moriarty says that by donating, “you are saving the lives of up to three people.” Power reds (taken from people with blood types O, A-, and B-) are essential right now because they have extra iron and can be transfused to children and burn victims who need extra care.
The Red Cross has removed the restriction preventing those who have lived abroad from donating (with the exception of England). The restriction was put in place because of mad cow disease.
The Red Cross barely met their goal for the last blood drive. But if we all, collectively, set our minds to it, we can pull through and even surpass their goal for this round. There is a critical need for blood donations due to the pandemic, and the Red Cross knows they can count on Topanga. Please consider signing up to save lives! https://tinyurl.com/y6mchd8m
