The American Red Cross will be in the City of Canton next month to collect blood, platelets, and plasma.
The blood drive, which will be held at City Hall on June 11 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., seeks to bolster the local blood banks so that there will be plenty on hand in case a disaster like a tornado strikes in our area.
Persons with type O negative blood should donate regularly, as their blood can be accepted by anyone who needs a blood transfusion.
Platelets are essential to clotting blood and are useful for people undergoing treatment for cancer. During platelet donation, blood is drawn from your arm, but is returned to the body after the platelets have been filtered out. According to the American Red Cross, Platelet donations can be worth up to 18 regular blood donations.
Plasma donations are similar to platelet donations. Blood plasma can be used to help people with weakened immune systems fight off infections and can help people with blood clotting disorders like hemophilia treat their condition.
To learn more about donating blood, please visit the American Red Cross' website.
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