Photo By Alexandra Shea | Staff Sgt. Erin Bothwell, a preventive medicine specialist assigned to the Moncrief...... read more read more
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“Each donation can save three lives,” said Kendal Benjamin, lead phlebotomist for the American Red Cross blood drive team at Fort Jackson. “We are at an all-time low. We are in a critical need.”
Fort Jackson’s Coleman Gym hosted a community blood drive Nov. 1 to help collect whole blood to be used within Columbia, South Carolina, and neighboring states.
According to Benjamin, one donation of a pint of whole blood can be used to create three products; plasma, red blood cells and platelets.
While most people who donate blood imagine theirs will be used for a transfusion for someone with critical, traumatic injuries much like a car accident victim may have, but Benjamin said blood products are also commonly used for small infants, sickle cell patients and burn victims as well.
“Babies, sickle cell and cancer patients need this,” Benjamin said. “Especially O- and O+, it’s universal and anyone can use it.”
Benjamin said there has been a shortage of whole blood and blood products since 2015 and the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t helped. Fort Jackson donors didn’t fail to answer the call for donation needs.
“We’ve seen some new faces and a lot of regulars here today,” said William Sexton, Fort Jackson Fire Inspector and Red Cross Blood Drive Ambassador. “Our community on Fort Jackson has always been strong givers.”
For Angela Crosland, the Army Community Service’s Financial Readiness Program Manager and regular donor, the motivation to donate her blood is a personal matter.
“I’ve had Family members that have been beneficiaries of receiving blood,” Crosland said. “So I’m here to do my part and help out with the shortage.”
Crosland wasn’t alone, she was joined by many others to include Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Michaelis, Fort Jackson commander, active-duty Soldiers, civilians and members of the Army Reserve’s 81st Readiness Division. The division’s headquarters is collocated on Fort Jackson.
As donors continued to arrive throughout the day, all blood products were processed and packaged on ice by Benjamin and his team. At the end of the event, all products will be taken back to their headquarters to sorted by type and distributed to areas in the most need.
A recent feature for blood donors are notification about how and where their donated blood was used via the Red Cross app and e-mail.
“I found out my blood was used in a regional hospital in Tennessee,” Sexton said. “And a burn unit in Georgia. It’s a great feeling.”
“I gave last year and not to long after I gave it was going off to help somebody,” Crosland said of a notification of the use of her donated blood. “I can see it working.”
Sexton said the Red Cross community drive is the last of the year. He explained how the community can donate whole blood once every 54 days safely. The next drive will be scheduled for February 2022.
He also explained how those wishing to donate can keep up to date on donation dates and locations by using the Red Cross app. He also explained how the app tracks the number of donations and can be used to schedule appointments to donate to reduce the amount of wait time.
“In the big picture, it’s a small thing you can do to affect so many greatly,” Sexton said.
For additional information about upcoming blood drive, visit www.redcross.org or follow Fort Jackson’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fortjackson for future blood drives.
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 11.23.2021 09:27 |
| Story ID: | 409879 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SC, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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