July 2, 2014 at 1:53 p.m.
Hodag MASH blood drive to be held July 8
Hodag MASH blood drive to be held July 8
By Kayla Thomason-
"We hope everyone comes out and has a great time and brings a friend if they don't want to donate by themselves," said Jan Hadsell, account specialist for the Community Blood Center.
It takes about 45 minutes to go through the entire donation process, Hasdell said. Collecting blood takes only 5 to 10 minutes.
After someone has donated they are sent to the canteen to rest for 10 minutes.
"At the canteen they provide them with something to drink and cookies after the blood is drawn," said volunteer Sondie Wilson.
Lunch will be available from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There will be six volunteers serving barbecue, chips, vegetables and dip, cookies and lemonade. All food will come from Ministry St. Mary's Hospital.
"It's supposed to offer the donors a fun experience in donating blood as opposed to going in and doing it at the same place every time," Hadsell said. "We want to try to bring in a lot of new donors who will say 'oh yeah this was fun. It wasn't bad, I got a free lunch, I got to sit outside, have a great time, I will start donating.'"
Hadsell recommends donors eat a good meal and drink plenty of water before giving blood. She also recommends avoiding caffeine as it tends to dehydrate.
If someone is concerned about their iron levels they can eat red meat, leafy greens or molasses about four days prior to donating.
The Community Blood Center provides blood to hospitals within an hour's drive to ensure they are getting the freshest possible supply.
"You always hear about these 'Buy Local' campaigns, this is the 'Give Local' because 100 percent of the blood that is collected here takes care of the hospitals in northern Wisconsin, takes care of the five hospitals in Merrill, Tomahawk, Minocqua, Eagle River and Rhinelander," said blood drive organizer Jerry Shidell.
The hospitals have their own supply of blood - they don't need some brought in every time - but the hour rule is for hospitals that need to replenish their supply after a trauma or are in need of a particular type of blood.
The Oscar G. Johnson Hospital in Iron Mountain, where a lot of the local veterans go for care, receives all its blood through the MASH drive, according to Hadsell.
Organizers say the blood drive normally draws a good crowd.
"We get a lot of local people and a lot of tourists going through town that see that it's going on or hear it on the radio and so they come in," Wilson said.
The FDA and CDC have set some rules for donors to ensure their safety.
Donors have to be 17 years old, or 16 with a parent's permission, and a picture ID. There will be a mini-physical and they will have to answer questions.
People must wait 56 days between donations for the donor's safety so they can build up their fluid and red blood cells.
Those with tattoos inked somewhere other licensed Wisconsin or Iowa tattoo facilities have to wait a year to donate.
The donations are crucial as hospitals are in need of blood this time of year.
"The key thing that happens this time of the year - and it's just dripping with irony - the demand for blood is up at this time of the year. Why? Because we're outside, we're doing things that we weren't able to do all winter. We get hurt. We need blood. The supply is down. Why? Because ironically we're outside doing things and we don't supply blood," Shidell said.
After the drive, the blood will be transported to Appleton where it will be tested, a process that takes 24 hours to complete. After testing, the blood is sent to local hospitals.
Whole blood is good for 42 days, plasma is usable for one year if it is frozen, platelets are only good for five days.
Platelets can be donated far quicker than when donating blood due to how quickly the body replenishes them.
"You can be a hero, not the swashbuckling Errol Flynn type hero, but you can be a hero by donating blood because you will save lives pure and simple," Shidell said.
Shidell volunteered at the Merrill MASH drive and realized how successful it was. The experience had him wondering 'why isn't there one in Rhinelander?'
He made contact with the Community Blood Center and after a few years they held the first MASH blood drive.
"The community was unbelievably responsive and since then it just keeps going," Shidell
"I know when he brought it to our organization we said right away 'yes, this is something we want to help with' because it sounded like a lot of fun," said Diane Nicke, a volunteer from Saint Mary's Hospital.
Shidell added that you could be saving a friend or someone you know when you donate blood.
"Saint Mary's Hospital, here in Rhinelander, on average through the year uses one pint of blood ever six hours. That means that by this time tomorrow they will have gone through about four pints of blood," Shidell said.
If anyone has specific personal questions they'd like to ask before they donate or would like to make an appointment, they can call the Community Blood Center at 1 (800) 280-4102.
The Community Blood Center appreciates it when donors make appointments but they do welcome walk-ins.
People can set up an appointment the day of the event or visit www.communityblood. org or www.save3lives.org.
Kayla Breese may be reached at [email protected].
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