Medical Center program keeps blood flowing

  • Published
  • By Mary H. Allen
  • 88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio --  
The Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Medical Center's Blood Donor Center is asking for more people to roll up their sleeve and donate blood in support of the U.S. Armed Services Blood Program. 

"The Air Force only has three blood donation centers for the entire Air Force and one is located here at Wright-Patterson; the others are located at Lackland AFB and Kessler AFB," said Airman 1st Class Alex Martinez, a medical laboratory technician with the 88th Medical Group. 

The Wright-Patterson AFB community - military, civilian, retirees, contractors and dependents - can donate blood. All a donor needs to do is walk-in, bring a photo ID, register, go over a few health questions, get a mini physical, and then donate blood. The entire process takes about one hour.

While the Blood Donor Center will accept all blood types, the greatest demand is donors with Type O blood.  

"It's very important we meet our quota of 47 units of blood per week to be shipped to the Armed Service World Blood Processing Laboratory located in New Jersey," said Airman 1st Class Tyler Bennett, a medical laboratory technician, 88 MDG.

One pint of blood can help up to three people in need. Donated red blood cells do not last forever and only have a shelf life of up to 42 days, according to information from the American Red Cross Blood Donation Process.

To be eligible to donate blood at the Wright-Patterson Blood Donor Center, donors must be at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds, and not have a cold or other illness.  Donors may give blood every 56 days, or six times a year.

"Normally every Tuesday and Wednesday we are off-site doing blood drives," said Martinez.  The blood drives for April are scheduled from 10 a.m to 1:30 p.m. at the following locations:
April 12: Wright State University ROTC Room
April 13: Dayton VA Hospital
April 19: National Air and Space Intelligence Center
April 20: The Air Force Institute of Technology Atrium
April 26: Sensors Directorate and the Air Force Research Laboratory
April 27: The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center.

Individuals who wish to donate blood can make an appointment by calling the donor center at 257-0580 or by visiting its website at http://www.militaryblood.dod.mil/wrightpatterson/.

Walk-ins are always welcome at the blood donor center, which is located on the second floor of the Wright-Patterson Medical Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments are recommended, however.