Mantua Township will host a blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross on Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the municipal building.
The target goal for the drive – according to event host and township administrative support Leah Clemenson – is 74 donors and 46 units of blood.
“This event allows Mantua Township to assist in the urgent need for blood donations and make a positive impact on the lives of those in need,” said Clemenson. “Every unit we donate at our blood drive can help save up to three lives. However, our impact goes beyond the patient; it is multiplied by the impact it has on that person’s loved ones, who are thankful for the unit we donated.”
Clemenson has a personal stake in the drive: Her brother Matthew was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at 12 years old last June.
“Despite his young age, he has displayed unwavering strength and resilience, embodying the spirit of a true warrior,” Clemenson said. “Matthew has been receiving blood and platelets on an almost daily basis for the past four months.
“He is just one of the millions of individuals who relies on the donations of American Red Cross donors.”
Blood collected by the Red Cross helps millions of Americans and more than 2,500 hospitals and other health-care facilities across the country, according to the organization’s website. It also needs to collect about 13,000 blood and 2,500 platelet donations each day.
A secondary goal for the drive is to educate and inspire people to give by educating them about the benefits of their donations.
“Mantua Township would like to inspire the community to come out and donate by educating them on the impact that even one donation of blood can have on an accident or trauma victim, cancer patient, a mother giving birth, a premature baby, a transplant recipient or surgical candidate,” Clemenson explained.
“An estimated 38 percent of Americans are eligible to give blood or platelets,” she added. “But of those, less than 10 percent actually donate each year. If you are healthy and eligible, please come out to donate.”
Prospective donors can register for Tuesday’s drive at the American Red Cross website by typing Mantuatownship in the zip or sponsor code box. The date of the drive will show and visitors can select the times they wish to donate.
