September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month
You can bring hope to a child’s life in the time it might take to eat lunch with a friend.
By donating blood through the American Red Cross, you can help provide the blood some children may need for their ongoing cancer care. With September being Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, blood donors are encouraged to make and keep appointments and help children beat serious disease.
“Donated blood and platelets can play an enormous role in cancer care and treatment,” said Tracy Duncan, Communications Manager for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “Chances are, there’s a child or a family waiting for the gift you can give.”
Transfusions of red cells and platelets can help save a patient’s life, or dramatically improve their quality of life from day-to-day. Leukemia and other cancers can cause anemia and internal bleeding, chemo and radiation can lower blood counts, and cancer-related surgeries can result in blood loss.
According to the National Cancer Institute, about 10,400 children under the age of 15 are diagnosed with cancer in a typical year. Of those childhood cancer patients, about one-third will have some form of leukemia. Many forms of leukemia respond to current medical care, including the most prevalent: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or ALL.
“When you give blood, you give hope,” said Duncan. “We often hear from families who say that because blood was there, their child has a chance to grow up and enjoy every moment. Just think of the power your donation can bring.”
UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:
- Sunday, Sept. 16, from 9 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. at Life Bridge Christian Church, located at 62 S. Valparaiso St. in Valparaiso.
- Monday, Sept. 17, from 1 p.m. until 7 p.m. at St. Teresa of Avila in the Catholic Student Center, located at 1604 Lincolnway in Valparaiso.
- Wednesday, Sept. 19, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the YMCA, located at 1201 Cumberland Crossing Drive in Valparaiso.
- Thursday, Sept. 20, from noon until 6 p.m. at St. Paul Lutheran Church in the Meeting Hall, located at 106 East 1100 North in Chesterton.
- Monday, Sept. 24, from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at Harris Bank, located at 502 East 1100 North in Chesterton.
- Monday, Sept. 24, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in the Foyer/SS Room, located at 505 Bullseye Lake Road in Valparaiso.
- Wednesday, Sept. 26, from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Heritage Lutheran Church in the Fellowship Hall, located at 308 Washington St. in Valparaiso.
- Friday, Sept. 28, from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. at Portage Avenue Baptist Church, located at 6605 Portage Ave. in Portage.
- Sunday, Sept. 30, from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Walmart, located at 3400 Morthland Drive in Valparaiso.
How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in Indiana), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.
About the American Red Cross
The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio, and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in 60 hospitals. The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at http://blog.redcross.org.