Our two-day winter blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross and Hartford Yard goats helped save over 400 lives.
West Hartford Town Hall and Dunkin Donuts Park in Hartford both opened their doors to donors Wednesday and Thursday and every donation was greatly appreciated.
Winter is a notoriously difficult time to get blood donations. Between the holidays, illnesses and winter storms, donations often fall short. Add in the challenges of the ongoing pandemic and the need for blood is urgent.
“For us it’s critical to find enough donors to bring in enough blood to hospitals for accidents, cancer treatments, you know the need for blood is constant so we need more people to donate,” explained Mario Bruno, CEO of the Connecticut and Rhode Island Region of the American Red Cross. “And also you know we are utilizing the plasma from those who have recovered from COVID to treat other patients who need it so we could use as many donations as we can get.”
Wednesday, Bruno brought along a very special, first time donor.
“Yesterday I donated blood at the Yard Goats stadium and I brought my daughter Isabella who just turned 17 and 17 is the minimum age to donate blood in Connecticut,” Bruno said. “So she came along and she was great, her first time donating blood she was very proud of herself and really happy to join the files of people saving lives in the community.”
And Isabella said her experience couldn't have been better. “I was a little nervous but I walked in and everyone was so welcoming and it was such an easy process," says Isabella. "I went in and I got checked in and I laid down and before I knew it it was over and it was such a great feeling to know that I can help someone.”
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If you weren’t able to donate at our NBC Connecticut blood drive, you can always find a blood drive or donation center near you. Just visit www.redcrossblood.org.
