Dearborn County Hospital’s summer blood drive, in association with the Hoxworth Blood Center, will be on Thursday, September 10, from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the conference facilities of the hospital in Lawrenceburg.

 “The Hoxworth Blood Center serves 32 hospitals throughout the Greater Cincinnati area. Hoxworth requires 350 units of whole blood and 40 units of platelets every day to meet this ongoing need,” stated Melinda Ping, R.N., DCH Occupational Health Nurse.  “Just one unit of donated blood can save the lives of up to three people.”

To donate, a person must be 17 years of age or older (16 years of age with the appropriate signed parental consent form), weigh at least 110 pounds and generally feel healthy and well.  Donors must wait a minimum of eight weeks between blood donations.  Women who are pregnant may not donate.           

Persons who have tested HIV positive, injected themselves with illegal drugs or who participate in high risk behavior are prohibited from donating.  Individuals who had hepatitis after age 11 also are disqualified from donating.  Cancer and malaria survivors, persons who had a heart attack and those with heart disease should phone Hoxworth for information regarding donation allowances. 

Blood donors should eat a well balanced meal within four hours prior to donating and should drink plenty of water.  They must bring a form of photo identification, such as a driver’s license or employee badge, with them to the drive.

Donors can maximize their donation by giving “Double Reds.”  This process of Automated Red Cell Collection is designed to make the most of donations.  Please call the Hoxworth Nursing Department at (800) 265-1515, ext. 81304, for additional information on donating Double Reds.

An appointment takes approximately 45 minutes for a whole blood donation and an additional 20 minutes for an Automated Red Cell Collection.  Also, a free total cholesterol screening is available to donors.  Individual results will be available a few days after the blood drive by calling this special Hoxworth number: (513) 558-1188.

In addition, the names of all persons donating to Hoxworth at DCH and the other collection sites between Monday, September 7, and Friday, September 11, will be entered into a drawing to win a pair of Diamond Seat tickets to a Cincinnati Reds game.  Diamond Seats are the first eight rows behind home plate.  Winners will also have access to the Diamond Club Lounge where they can enjoy a gourmet buffet as they watch the game.

During DCH’s last blood drive in May, Hoxworth collected 91 units of whole blood, 12 of which were Double Reds, from 101 registered donors.  Eleven of the donors were giving blood for the first time.

Dearborn County Hospital will provide refreshments at the drive.  Hoxworth requests that children age 5 and under do not attend the blood drive.  To schedule an appointment to donate, please call the DCH Education Department at (812) 537-8431 or (800) 676-5572, ext. 8431.  A 24-hour voice mail system is available to take messages.  Walk-ins are always welcome but they may need to plan for additional time for their visit