PHOENIX — This weekend as people plan their holiday festivities, Vitalant is hoping that part of the plans will be to donate blood.
The organization is hosting a two-day event, in an effort to save Arizonans and help those who are in need of life-saving donations.
Patients of all ages need blood donations to ensure their strength prior to surgery. Owen Gauntt, 22, is one of those patients, who at just 6 years old, was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer.
"Shortages are happening and so we do need people to donate. There would be too much risk, having the blood is what secures safe surgeries and helps with people's recovery, it's just extremely important. I went through a lot of surgeries and there were critical times, when I need blood, in order to have a safe surgery," he explained.
In January, the Red Cross declared a national blood shortage, and six months later the bloody supply is still critically low.
That's why Janet Hopkins with Vitalant is sharing the importance of donating and is hoping to spread the word about the weekend event.
"Summer donors go on vacation and the high school kids are out of school, 1 out of every 6 donations is donated by a high school student, so the need is great during this time of year," Hopkins said.
At least 900 volunteers are needed to make a world of difference. Any and all donations help at blood drives and more specifically O-positive or O-negative, Hopkins said.
"It's only 10 minutes, needle in the arm, when a patient receives blood it's three to four hours with a needle in their body. There's a lot of need, platelets, our cancer patients use blood, surgeries, accidents, red blood cells will go there, our plasma, shock and burn victims," she said.
The event continues Sunday from 7 a.m. - 1 p.m. at the Tempe Center for the Arts. Appointments are encouraged but not required.
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