United Hospital Center (UHC) is encouraging blood donors to bring a friend to its next blood drive on Wednesday, Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at United Hospital Center, 327 Medical Park Drive, Bridgeport, WV 26330, on the first floor in classrooms one and two. “Find 1 – Sign 1” will be the theme of the drive.

 

“The participation in blood donation is indeed gaining ground at UHC and we want to keep it growing,” said Ralph Johns, Blood Bank Lead Technologist at UHC. “Blood donors contribute a truly unique gift that makes an immediate impact for our community. Your blood goes way beyond the blood type, in that, some donors have very unique antigen compositions that are rare and difficult to find. So, who knows, you may have a rare pattern found only in a few donors, and that is why your donation is always needed.”

 

UHC set a record at its August drive for most donors ever at a UHC drive, and collected almost 60 units. Those generous donations helped critically ill newborn babies, cancer patients, surgery patients, those with traumatic injuries and many others.

 

“Find 1- Sign 1” encourages existing donors to ask/invite one person and help them sign up to donate. “The best way to increase the donor base is through a personal invitation,” noted Johns. “Of course, people may sign up as many others as possible, but we can all begin with one.” 

 

The blood drive is conducted by Vitalant (formerly Central Blood Bank) in partnership with United Hospital Center (UHC). In addition to UHC, Vitalant supplies blood products to WVU Medicine, Ruby Memorial Hospital, Berkeley Medical Center, Jefferson Medical Center, Camden Clark Medical Center, Potomac Valley Hospital and St. Joseph’s Hospital.

 

To make an appointment, please download the Vitalant-Pittsburgh mobile app for your smart phone; visit the website vitalant.org and click on the orange “Donate” button; or call 877.25.VITAL (84825). Use the group code W4310001 for the UHC drive. Donors will receive a T-shirt, while supplies last.