January is National Blood Donor Month
By Stephanie Bertholdo bertholdo@theacorn.com

January, National Blood Donor Month, was acknowledged last week by the Agoura Hills City Council.

Mayor John Edelston, president and CEO of HealthPro Associates, Inc. presented a proclamation to an American Red Cross representative at the council meeting, and encouraged citizens to donate blood.

Edelston said that although 40 percent of the United States population is eligible to give blood, only 5 percent actually donate. He said the American Red Cross' supply is running dangerously low. "We're constantly getting requests from the Red Cross, fire department, police department and hospitals asking for donors," Edelston said. "There's a severe shortage."

"Living a healthier lifestyle adds to the ability to enjoy the community," he added. "As leadership in the city we want to make every opportunity available for residents to enjoy a healthier lifestyle."

DTS, Inc., an Agoura Hills digital technology company focused on entertainment products, planned a blood drive Wednesday. Louise Schneider, coordinator of engineering services, said the company sponsors two blood drives each year.

"We have a longstanding policy about giving back to the community," Schneider said.

Other blood drives are scheduled in Thousand Oaks, Moorpark and Simi Valley:

•Jan. 21, 25 and other dates this year, 12:30 to 7 p.m. Thousand Oaks Inn, 75 W. Thousand Oaks Blvd.

•Jan. 22, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Moorpark College, 7075 Campus Road

•Jan. 25, 1 to 7 p.m. Simi Valley Rancho Santa Susana Center, 5005 C Los Angeles Ave.

Visit www.givelife.org for more information.

Blood facts

•Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs a blood transfusion

•More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day

•One out of every 10 people admitted to a hospital needs blood

•Total blood transfusions in 2001: 14 million

•The average red blood cell transfusion is approximately 3 pints

•The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O

•The blood used in emergency situations is already in stock when the event occurs

•Sickle cell disease affects more than 80,000 people in the U.S., 98 percent of whom are AfricanAmerican. Patients with the disorder can require frequent blood transfusions throughout their lives

•More than 1 million new cases of cancer are diagnosed each year. Many of these patients will need blood, sometimes daily, during their chemotherapy treatment

•A single car accident victim can require as many as 100 units of blood

Source: American Red Cross