Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
The community is invited to give blood in honor of Stacy Watters, three-times breast cancer fighter, at a special American Red Cross blood drive held in her name Tuesday, March 12, 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Nathan Dean Center, 606 Goodyear St. in Rockmart. Presenting donors will receive a free Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.
As a young mother in 2009, Stacy Watters was diagnosed with breast cancer. She underwent surgery, chemo therapy, and radiation, and was also put on an oral medication for five years. Unfortunately, in 2013 she was diagnosed once again. She then underwent a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy. Watters had come up on her five-year remission mark in February 2018 and was finally feeling confident that she was over the dreaded disease. In June, she was once again diagnosed for the third time. Currently, she is undergoing chemotherapy.
The Watters family, Nathan Dean Center, and Rockmart invites the community to give blood in honor of Watters to help those like her who may need transfusions.
“I could have never imagined having to deal with this once, but at number three it’s overwhelming and frustrating,” she shared. “I can’t give myself all the credit for my fight, because I couldn’t do it on my own. I trust in God and with strong faith, I know he will see me through once again.”
“There are so many more patients, like Stacy, who are in need of blood and platelet donations,” said Ronnika A. McFall, external communications manager of the Red Cross Southern Blood Services Region. “Giving blood in Stacy’s name is a wonderful way to honor her and potentially help other cancer patients.”
This blood drive comes as the Red Cross is recovering from a severe blood shortage in January. Every two seconds in the United States blood is needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals nationwide, including 90 hospitals in the Southern Region.
Donate Blood in honor of Stacy Watters
Tuesday, March. 12
12:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Nathan Dean Center, 606 Goodyear St. Rockmart, Ga. 30153
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, search for a blood drive using sponsor code: ROCK or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a computer or mobile device. To get started and learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.