Vitalant plans blood drives throughout

By CALEB BEEGHLY

CORRESPONDENT

Vitalant is urging all eligible blood donors to give in March to help patients during a prolonged blood shortage that has been made worse by inclement weather.

The nonprofit is organizing blood drives throughout Santa Barbara County. (There’s a schedule at the end of this story.)

In February, cold, snow and other adverse weather conditions across the country led to the cancellation of blood drives, resulting in more than 1,300 donations going uncollected, including over 125 lifesaving units locally along the Central Coast. That’s according to

Vitalant, which noted people who donate blood with Vitalant in March will automatically be entered to win one of two $10,000 prepaid gift cards. That’s enough to cover grocery expenses for a year and can be used wherever it is accepted.

Additionally, all donors are invited to join Vitalant’s donor recognition program, which awards points for each donation that can be redeemed online for thank-you gifts.

March is also Bleeding Disorders Awareness Month, which highlights the importance of blood donations for those living with disorders such as emophilia and von Willebrand disease. Such disorders cause chronic pain and uncontrollable bleeding, and patients rely on blood donations for treatment.

All blood types are critical for helping patients with both ongoing and emergency needs. But Vitalant said type O donors are especially needed because O-positive is the most common blood type and O-negative can help patients of all blood types.

To learn more and schedule an appointment to donate blood, visit vitalant.org, download and use the Vitalant app, or call 877-2584825.

Upcoming blood drives:

• Thursday: Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara County Employees, 105 E. Anapamu St., 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

• March 8: Isla Vista, St. Mark’s Catholic Church, 6550 Picasso, noon to 5 p.m.

• March 9: Santa Ynez, Santa Ynez Valley Union High School, 2975 State Route 246, 9 a.m. to 1:15 p.m.

• March 11: Santa Barbara, Free Methodist Church, 1435 Cliff Drive, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• March 13: Santa Barbara, C Zero, 600 Ward Drive, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• March 13: Lompoc, Lompoc Foursquare Church, 125 N. C St., 1:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.

• March 25: Carpinteria, Masonic Lodge, 5421 Carpinteria Ave., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• March 28: Goleta, Camino Real Center, 7046 Marketplace Drive, 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. email: cbeeghly@newspress.com

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