Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
The community is invited to give blood in honor of Grant Fischer at a special American Red Cross blood drive on Tuesday, Jan. 17, from 3 to 8 p.m. at Olentangy Meadows Elementary.
Grant is an active 7th grader who loves just being a kid. He was diagnosed with T-cell ALL, a form of cancer, in October 2014. After being in remission for almost 11 months, Grant had a relapse in late 2015. He received a bone marrow transplant in March 2016. Grant needed countless blood transfusions during all his treatment and is now 9 months cancer free.
The Fischer family hopes the community will give blood in Grant’s honor. “At one point in his treatment there was a shortage of blood products,” said Carol Fischer, Grant’s mother. “That’s pretty scary when my son’s platelet count was so low and he needed transfusions.”
“Hosting this blood drive in his name is a wonderful way to honor Grant and help patients in need,” said Rosemarie Simmons, account manager for the Red Cross Central Ohio Blood Services Region.
This blood drive comes when the Red Cross has a severe winter blood shortage and has issued an emergency call for donors to give now so patients can continue to receive the lifesaving treatments they need. Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in.
Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are 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 approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.
Blood Drive in honor of Grant Fischer
Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2017
3 to 8 p.m.
Olentangy Meadows Elementary
8950 Emerald Hill Drive, Lewis Center, OH 43035
How to donate blood
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org 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 donors can now 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, prior to arriving at the blood drive. 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.
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