Blood Donors Needed For Middletown Red Cross Drive

St. Sebastian's Church and the American Red Cross are hosting a blood drive Tuesday from 1:30-6:30 p.m.

Click here to make an appointment

All donors will receive either a screwdriver or flashlight from Stanley Black & Decker.

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in the community. Nationwide, someone needs a unit of blood every 2 to 3 seconds and many will need blood in their lifetime.

In general, to give blood, you must be healthy, at least 17 years old, and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds.

Donating blood is a four-step process, which takes about an hour from start to finish. The first step is registration at the reception desk. The second step is a stop at the health history desk, where trained professionals will check your blood pressure, iron level and temperature, and will ask specific questions about your health to insure that you are eligible to donate that day.

The third step is the actual donation, which takes about 8-10 minutes. The fourth and final step is a visit to the canteen to refresh you before leaving the blood donation site. Donors tell us that knowing they have saved up to three lives with each blood donation is their greatest reward for the time they've spent donating blood.