Friday, May. 02, 2008

FM Rotary Blood Drive on Thursday

By Lyn Pry

Staff Writer

The Flower Mound Rotary Club is sponsoring a mobile blood drive from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 8, in the area between Salerno’s Restaurant and Regions Bank at 3451 Long Prairie Road.

The Carter BloodCare drive is being held in honor of 3-year-old Jordan Flint, a local pre-schooler who was diagnosed with leukemia on March 27. During her initial hospital stay, she received several blood transfusions and is now undergoing aggressive treatments for her disease.

To read more about her and view photos of her and her family, visit: www.caringbridge.org/visit/jordanflint.

The average adult has 10 to 12 pints of blood traveling all through the heart, lungs, arteries, veins and capillaries. Giving blood is simple. It takes less than one hour to lie down, put your feet up and donate “life’s fuel” on behalf of someone who needs it.

First-time donors at a Carter BloodCare drive need to bring a photo ID with them. All donors must be at least 17-years old and weigh 110-pounds.

Donors are encouraged to eat a low-fat meal four hours before they give blood and to drink lots of water or juice both before and after they donate. It is also recommended not to consume any alcohol at least 12 hours before donating.

Adults not accepted as donors include those people currently taking an antibiotic or those on the drugs Accutane, Propecia or Proscar. For a complete list of guidelines, visit: www.carterbloodcare.org .

To reserve a donation time, call Michael Ferguson at 214-538-8017.

About Blood

Blood is an essential part of our bodies that transports oxygen, nutrients, and metabolic waste.

In addition to all that, blood performs these functions: replenishes oxygen and removes carbon dioxide; distributes essential nutrients to cells; carries away metabolic waste materials for disposal; ecognizes antigens (foreign substances) and produces antibodies (immune defense mechanisms); and, clots cuts, wounds and scratches to prevent bleeding.