FAYETTEVILLE – April 19, 2021 – Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center is holding multiple blood drives this week to combat the continuing critical shortage of donated blood.
“At last count, there are only nine units of O positive blood left for patients at Cape Fear Valley Health,” said Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center Manager Amy Fisher. “That’s nine units of O positive for the entire health system, which uses the blood in Cumberland, Bladen, Hoke and Harnett counties.”
Type O+ is the most common blood type people have in the United States, and the most commonly used in blood transfusions. While all blood types are accepted and needed for donation, Types O+ and O- are the most critically needed. O- blood can be transfused to all blood types, regardless of the recipient’s blood type.
Fisher said the Blood Donor Center has 35 units of O-, which is still considered a shortage. One patient could deplete that supply.
“One person has about 12 units of blood in their body. If only one person needed a total blood transfusion, we would run out of O+ blood to transfuse,” Fisher said.
The Blood Donor Center is offering several enticements to encourage donors to lend a vein, with donors receiving a free T-shirt and a COVID-19 antibody screening. The first 100 donors this week will also receive a coupon for a free pizza from Papa Murphy’s in Fayetteville. Local high school students who donate can enter to win a car from Powers Swain Chevrolet. Friends and family members of high school students can also donate on their high school student’s behalf to earn additional entries for their student in the drawing. A winner in the car drawing will be chosen July 26 at Powers Swain Chevrolet.
Blood donors can find a blood drive near them at www.savingliveslocally.org/blood_drives.aspx. No appointment is needed. They can also visit the Blood Donor Center at 3357 Village Drive, Fayetteville, in the Bordeaux Shopping Center. It is open for donations Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the third Saturday of each month, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Below is the current listing of this week’s mobile blood drive locations.
For more information, please call (910) 615-LIFE (615-5433).
Blood drives this week
Monday: The Grove at Park Place, 4-6 p.m., 2640 Latrobe Ave., Fayetteville
Tuesday: Village Gate Apartments, 4-6:30 p.m., 3311 Turtle Point Dr., Fayetteville
Bryan Honda Pontiac Cadillac, noon-2 p.m., 4104 Raeford Rd., Fayetteville
Wednesday: Rustic Burger, 4-8 p.m., 2653 Hope Mills Rd., Fayetteville
Fast Transit Center, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 505 Franklin St., Fayetteville
Thursday: Mercedes-Benz of Fayetteville, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., 420 Glensford Dr., Fayetteville
Eagle Point Village Apartments, 3-6 p.m., 830 Allonby Rd., Fayetteville
Friday: Westlake at Morganton Apartments, 3-6 p.m., 3311 Woodhill Lane, Fayetteville
Saturday: Hope Mills Parks & Recreation Center, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 5770 Rockfish Rd., Hope Mills