‘Labor Of Love’ Blood Donors

May Win Concert Tickets

FARMINGTON — This Labor Day holiday week, the American Red Cross needs donors to help replenish Connecticut’s blood supply after a serious summer drought in donations.

Anyone donating blood at a Red Cross blood drive through September 8 will receive a special “Labor of Love: Labor Day 2007” T-shirt, a small thank you for taking time over your holiday to give the gift of life. Donors will also be able to enter to win a pair of tickets to Toby Keith’s September 23 concert at the New England Dodge Music Center. This promotion is running at blood drives through September 13 only.

Historically, blood donations drop during the summer. This summer has been particularly challenging.   To make matters more difficult, long holiday weekends — like Labor Day — see an even greater drop in blood donations. Yet there are patients who need blood products each and every day.  

Every day, the American Red Cross must collect approximately 650 units of blood just to meet the basic needs of patients across Connecticut.  Blood is used for many surgical procedures, organ transplants, trauma, and chemotherapy. 

For some patients, such as the victim of an automobile accident, the need for blood is sudden. For others, ongoing transfusions are needed to help sustain lifesaving medical treatment.

“Simply put, patients’ lives and well-being depend on others to take an hour or two out their plans to give blood,” said Paul Sullivan, CEO of the American Red Cross Blood Services Region. “It takes all of us to keep Connecticut safe. We urge anyone who is eligible to donate blood. ”

Blood drives are running throughout Connecticut over the Labor Day holiday.

Many people say they have never given blood because they have never been asked.  The American Red Cross is asking all eligible individuals to please, Consider Yourself Asked and donate blood.  

To donate blood and platelets through the American Red Cross, individuals must be at least 17 years of age, weigh at least 110 pounds, and be in general good health. For additional information regarding donor eligibility, call 800-GIVE LIFE or visit www.bloodct.org.