Caresfield was thrilled to host a blood drive Jan. 14 as part of Blood Donor Awareness Month. The American Red Cross blood drive bus arrived at Caresfield’s corporate headquarters in the early hours. It was a blustery day, 18 degrees Fahrenheit with moderate snow fall throughout the morning.
Due to COVID-19 precautions, 28 total appointments were available. While staff and local residents booked all the appointments a week before the event, inclement weather led to 10 no-shows. In all, 19 donors showed up and donated 13 units of whole blood.
One of Caresfield’s six employees to participate was Customer Service Rep Amy McConnell. It was her first time donating in years.
“With a critical need for blood right now, it was a great time for me to get back into the habit of donating blood,” McConnell said. “It was very convenient for me to have the blood drive here at our office, I hope we can host this event again in the future.”
Another Caresfield employee, Controller Diana Maurer, was scheduled to give blood but was turned away because a screening test showed her hemoglobin was too low. While not a frequent donor, she encourages anyone who hasn’t donated to give it a try.
For Content Marketing Manager Tom Sedlacek, it was his first blood donation in over two decades due to a fear of needles.
“I know it’s silly, but one of my greatest fears is getting poked multiple times to start the donation,” Sedlacek said. “The staff did an amazing job making me feel comfortable. They found the vein on the first try. Now that I’ve donated once, I’m planning to become a regular donor.”
Can’t Make Your Appointment? Please Cancel!
Can’t make your scheduled blood drive appointment? We understand! If possible, try to cancel your appointment with as much advanced notice as possible. For example, two Caresfield employees were unable to donate due to a last-minute illness. By cancelling their appointments hours before the drive started, Caresfield was able to find two new donors to fill the spots.
Unfortunately, with the 10 no-shows, by the time their appointments started, it was too late to try to find replacement donors.
Schedule a Donation Today
We are very thankful for everyone who took part in our blood drive. January is Blood Donor Awareness Month and there is still a critical shortage of blood. If you weren’t able to participate in our event, we hope you will visit The Red Cross website to find a blood drive near you.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the blood drive. Check out our plans for the Caresfield Cares program in 2022.
