CARIBOU, Maine — It is the season of giving, and there is no better gift than the gift of life. In that spirit Cary Medical Center will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross on Monday, Dec. 18, from noon to 6 p.m. at the Caribou Inn & Convention Center.
To make an appointment to donate, call Kristi at 498-6516. Donors can also log onto redcrossblood.org and type in Sponsor Code: Cary MC.
The American Red cross offers the following interesting facts about blood and donations:
- Blood donations decline from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day as people get busy with holiday activities.
- Blood is a perishable product that can only come from volunteer blood donors.
- Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood.
- Blood is routinely transfused to patients with cancer and other diseases, premature babies, organ transplant recipients and trauma victims.
- Type O negative is the universal blood type that can be safely transfused to anyone, and is often used to treat trauma patients.
- Donors with all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, A negative and B negative.