RAPID CITY, S.D. – Rushmore Mall hosted Vitalant’s 8th Annual Community Heroes Blood Drive. The event is held at the beginning of every year to mitigate the drop in donations during the holidays. Statistics show blood donation drops by about 25 percent at the end of each year as families get ready for festivities.
The Heroes Blood Drive aims to remind residents that having a continual supply of blood can mean life or death for many. Donor recruiters say very little of the supply collected goes to freak accidents.
“About 80 to 90 percent of blood usage is a planned event. People have medical conditions and blood is the medicine that they need; and so tragedies, accidents that’s really a very very small percentage of blood usage. That’s why we encourage consistent blood donation because people are using it every week, every month, consistently throughout the year to survive” said Vitalant Donor Recruiter Tori Robbins.
Vitalant is encouraging anyone who was once told they could not donate blood to make an appointment with the office and check again. Walk-ins are welcome but an interview process will precede the donation to ensure the donor is healthy enough to give blood.
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