1,000 Units of Blood Collected

The Garrett County Health Department is celebrating the collection of the 1,000^th unit of blood donated at blood drives organized by their AmeriCorps Members since October 2014.

“For every unit of blood collected, up to 3 lives are saved. That amounts to approximately 3,000 lives saved,” said Regina Boothe Bratton, External Communications Manager for the American Red Cross. “This is significant and reason to celebrate.”

“Victoria Reall was our lucky donor of the 1,000^th unit,” said Marie Lauver, AmeriCorps member and coordinator of the blood drives for the past two years. “Victoria received a messenger bag from the Red Cross as a token of their appreciation.”

This was Reall’s fourth donation at the health department, but has been giving at other events for years. “I do it just to help other people,” she said. “And what does it take? An hour out of your day.”

Reall’s winning blood donation was a power red, which is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow the safe donation of two units of red blood cells during one donation, while returning plasma and platelets to the donor. Power red donations have additional qualification requirements, but additional benefits as well. Visit RedCrossBlood.org for more information.

The next blood drive at the Garrett County Health Department will be held on Friday, December 20 from 12-5:30 pm. Donors can schedule an appointment by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling Venessa Stacy at 301-334-7730 or 301-895-3111.

Cutline: Victoria Reall receives a messenger bag from American Red Cross nurse Christine Stanovich for donating the 1,000^th unit of blood in the history of Garrett County Health Department’s blood drives. Reall is hooked up to a power red machine, allowing her to donate two units of red blood cells.

By Diane Lee, Public Information Officer, Garrett County Health Department

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John Corbin (BS, CPT, MCPT, CSNC)

Communications, Data Science, and Informatics Administrator, Health Equity/Minority Health Coordinator, Public Information Officer at Garrett County Health Department

Population Health, Innovation, and Informatics Unit
Contact: [email protected]

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