On June 26th the Meadow Vista Merchants Association and the Placer Hills Firefighters will sponsor a Blood Drive for area residents. All blood donated during the drive will go to the general reserves for area residents who may be in need of blood.

Where: Placer Hills Fire Station #1 Placer Hills Road Meadow Vista When: Monday, June 26th, 2:30-7:30 PM

This is a good chance to get together with friends and family for a little community get together. Kids are invited. We see this as a way to let them know about blood donation, and make them feel at ease so that they might get into the habit when they get older. If the eligible donor in the family are giving blood, we will provide responsible younge adults to look after the little ones.

To the patient fighting cancer, blood means hope. To the patient with sickle cell anemia, blood means comfort. To the patient critically injured in a car accident, blood means life. Though you may never know whose lives you touch by donating blood, you can be certain that you have given them a precious gift - the chance, for another tomorrow.

Without blood donors, there would be no chances. Each year, thousands of patients' lives depend on blood. The Sacramento Medical Foundation provides blood and blood components to 40 hospitals in 18 Northern California counties, serving an area of approximately 2.8 million residents. To make sure that every patient receives the blood that he or she needs, the Blood Center must collect an average of 400 units of blood and blood components each day. Locally, less than 5 percent of those who are eligible give blood. Consequently, the lives of many people depend on the generosity of a few.

Established in 1948 as a not-for-profit, community blood bank, the Sacramento Medical Foundation's history is one of partnership and support with the communities it serves. Starting from when the doors first opened on November 2, 1948, when 39 pint of blood were collected, to today, when more than 12,000 pints are collected each month, the Sacramento Medical Foundation has relied exclusively on the generosity of volunteer blood donors.

In 1962, the Sacramento Medical Foundation, in conjunction with the Butte-Glenn Counties Medical Societies, opened the Chico Donor Center to provide a more convenient donor site for many Northern California communities. Now known as the North Valley Blood Center, it also houses its own laboratory and hospital services department. In 1985, the Sunrise Blood Center, a smaller community donor center began serving blood donors in the northeast area of Sacramento. Today, nine community donor centers operate in Sacramento and the surrounding areas, helping to make the donation process more convenient than ever. In 1995, a number of Redding area hospitals invited the SMF to serve as their exclusive provider of blood and blood components. Currently operating in a temporary facility, construction is underway on the North State Blood Center, which will also house its own laboratory and hospital services department.

The first official mobile blood drive was made to Woodland in 1949, collecting 18 pints of blood. Today, mobile blood drives account for more than 40 percent of our commirnity's blood supply. Account managers work closely with area businesses, schools, churches, community, and civic groups to help ensure a safe and plentiful blood supply.

I've never given blood before. What can I expect?
First, check out the section on Giving Blood. This will give you an idea of what the process is. You will find that it is quick, safe and simple.

Some first time donors are afraid it will be painful.
Most donors feel little discomfort. The needle stick feels somewhat like a pinch and lasts for just a split second. The actual blood donation is not painful and usually only lasts between five and seven minutes.

I don't like needles and could pass out.
When you give blood you will be put at ease and will be seated at the blood draw station with a medical professional. You are not the only one who might feel ill at ease, but think about how you would feel if a family member or friend needed blood and there wasn't any? It is worth it to feel a little uneasy when so much is at stake?

I might catch a disease.
A new, sterile needle is used for each donor and then immediately and safely thrown away. It is not possible to catch AIDS or any other disease through the blood donation process.

They will take too much blood and I'll feel weak.
Only about one pint is taken -- no more. You have about two pints of blood for every 25 pounds of body weight, and your body makes new blood constantly. After giving blood, most people can resume their normal activities.

I give my blood but the Blood Center turns around and sells it.
The Blood Center's goal is to keep blood costs as low as possible while maintaining the safest possible blood supply. The Blood Center charges a processing fee to recover the costs incurred in collecting, processing, testing and distributing blood. This processing fee does not include hospital charges for crossmatching, transfusion administration, and so on.

I don't need to donate blood. I can afford to pay for it myself.
Most insurance policies cover the costs of blood and blood services. But, you can't transfuse dollar bills. Blood donors are needed daily so that every patient gets the blood that he or she needs.

Other people must be giving enough blood.
The Blood Center needs to collect about 400 pints of blood each day to ensure that blood is available for every patient that needs it. Locally, less than 5 percent of those who are eligible, give blood. In the next year, blood needs are expected to increase by 10 percent. Consequently, the fives of many depend on the generosity of a few.

I'm on medication.
Many medications, including allergy medicines, vitamins, aspirin, birth control and blood pressure pills, do not affect your eligibility as a blood donor. Be sure to tell the medical interviewer what medications you are taking or have recently taken.

I'm anemic.
A trained technician will test a drop of your blood before you donate. If you are anemic, you will not be permitted to donate on that day. However, anemia is not a permanent condition. Just because you have been deferred before or told that you were anemic does not necessarily mean that you cannot give blood now.

My blood type is so common, you probably don't need it.
Not true. Some blood types are more common than others, which means that more patients will also have those blood types. Since whole blood is only good for between 35 and 42 days, and platelets are only good for five days, we rely on regular donations of all blood types throughout the year.

I'm too busy.
How would you feel if you, or someone you care about, needed a transfusion and a blood donor said this? Is your fife worth an hour of someone's time? Is someone else worth an hour of your time? Think about it.

Giving blood is safe, easy, and takes about an hour. From start to finish, the blood donation process consists of four steps:

1. Registration 7-10 minutes

When you arrive at the Blood Center or mobile blood drive, you will be asked to give your name, address, telephone number, and social security number. You win also be asked to show some form of photo identification.

2. Medical History 15 - 20 minutes

A medical interviewer will ask you some confidential questions about your medical history to confirm that you are eligible to give blocd Then your temperature, blood pressure and blood iron level will be checked. Next, you're ready to give blood!

3. The Blood Donation 15 - 20 minutes (5 - 7 minutes for the actual donation)

After cleaning and sterilizing your arm, a nurse will insert a needle -- don't worry, you should only feel a slight pinch. The needle is completely sterile, used only once, and then safely discarded. Approximately one pint of blood will be drawn. Because the equipment is sterile and disposable, you cannot contract AIDS or any other disease from the blood donation process.

4. Rest and Refreshment 10-15 minutes

After the blood donation, you will be asked to rest briefly and have some light refreshments before resuming your normal activities.

There are four basic blood types ( O, A, B and AB) and there are Rh positive and negative types in each. Some are very common and some are very rare. If you don't know your blood type, you will find out when you give blood. Knowing your blood type and giving blood could save your life or the life of someone close to you. Since children derive their blood type from their parents, this could mean a parent or a child.

The following will give you an idea how common or rare your blood type is:

		If there are 100 people in a room,

			* 46 people will have type 0 blood
				39 will be 0 Rh Positive
				7 will be 0 Rh Negative

			* 40 people will have type A blood
				34 will be A Rh Positive
				6 will be A Rh Negative

			* 10 people will have type B blood
				8 - 9 will be B Rh Positive
				1 - 2 will be B Rh Negative

			* 4 people will have type AB blood
				Almost all of the 4 will be AB Rh Positive
				Only 1 person in 200 will be AB Rh Negative