Hoxworth Blood Center will present a special gift to blood donors in honor of National Blood Donor Month in January.
Donors at Hoxworth’s seven Neighborhood Donor Centers and select blood drives will receive a limited-edition Hoxworth quarter-zip pullover when they donate blood or platelets between Sunday, Jan. 2 and Saturday, Jan. 15.
Since 1970, January has been declared National Volunteer Blood Donor Month, a dedicated time to recognize regular blood donors and encourage others in the community to start donating. Cara Nicolas, associate director of public relations at Hoxworth, calls blood donors the unsung heroes in our community.
“Every day, patients in local hospitals need blood and platelets to survive traumas, organ transplants and cancer treatments,” Nicolas said. “There is no artificial substitute for blood and no way to create it in a lab, so all of the blood needed for these treatments has to come from blood donors — individuals who don’t mind spending an hour or two to save the life of a stranger in their community. We’re proud of our team of lifesavers and excited to celebrate National Blood Donor Month this January.”
Nicolas added that blood centers across the U.S. see a drop in donor turnout during the winter months, even in non-pandemic times. Hoxworth Blood Center needs to collect more than 450 units of blood daily to meet demands of area hospitals.
Appointments are highly encouraged at this time, and masks are required of all donors. Note that Hoxworth Blood Center will be closed on Jan. 1, New Year’s Day. To schedule a donation, visit hoxworth.org or call 513-451-0910.
Hoxworth Blood Center, University of Cincinnati, was founded in 1938, and serves more than 30 hospitals in 18 counties in Southwestern Ohio, Northern Kentucky and Southeastern Indiana. Annually, Hoxworth collects more than 90,000 units of blood from local donors to help save the lives of patients in area hospitals.
Submitted by Jackie Marschall, public relations specialist, Hoxworth Blood Center.
