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Urgent Blood Drive Set At Chamber Office The Ardmore, AL / TN Chamber of Commerce is responding to an urgent need for blood in this area. A Life South Blood Drive will be held at the Chamber of Commerce office in the L & S Shopping Center on Friday, January 12th from 10 A.M. to 6 P.M. Types A negative and O negative blood are the types needed most. Dr. Johnnie Barnes at the Ardmore Eye Clinic is donating free eye exams to those who donate blood. Donors will receive coupons and goodies donated by local businesses. Donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and not have donated blood within the last 56 days. There is no upper age limit to donate blood. An official form of identification is required. It must show proof of age, your signature and/or your photo. A valid passport or driver’s license is sufficient. Due to the risk of infection (e.g. Hepatitis, HIV) during a tattoo aplication, there is a twelve month deferral period from the date of the tattoo application. If a donor has had piercing done under aseptic (sterile) conditions with single-use equipment, there is no deferral period. If a sterile needle was NOT used, the deferral period is twelve months due to the risk of infection. The pint of blood collected from donors is separated into three components; red blood cells, plasma and platelets. If needed, two additional components may be made from a pint of blood; cryoprecipitate and white blood cells. The blood components are then stored until they are needed. Patients only receive the blood components that their body lacks. Some patients, such as cancer patients, may only need platelets. Burn patients may need plasma. Patients that have lost a great deal of blood due to trauma injuries, transplants or major surgery may require transfusions of all blood components. Anyone who is able to donate goodies for donors to recover or incentives to give, please call the Chamber Office at 256-423-7588 or Monica Sweeney of Life South at 256-998-0391. |