LAFAYETTE, La. — The event is called Race Against the Clock. It's a blood drive. It's easy to do. Why does it matter? Why should you care?
"And so this summer, especially, we are seeing a critical need,” explains Stephanie Kizziar. “The last time I checked in our area, we have a two-day, Type-O supply, which is incredibly low and it's about half of what we like to see."
We need to pick it up; we need to give. And with summer vacations, camps and people just wanting to get out after Covidly-being entrapped for months, those pints we all take for granted are ---right now--- precious commodities.
The shortage is definitely alarming to someone like Lafayette's Troy Hebert who had six surgeries as a St. Jude patient and has seen his own daughter undergo three heart surgeries.So consider your blood donation as another way to donate, to give back, to help your friends and neighbors.
"But I don't think people see giving blood as giving back to the community, and I think when you do, you are giving back to the community. you're giving to yourself, the community, your loved ones, your family,” says Hebert. “Because weekly, we're all praying for someone who's going into a surgery. We all know someone who's affected by something very seriously."
Well, I just gave back. Did my paperwork-- laid down--oh-so- slight discomfort with the needle and, ten minutes later, I’d become a blood donor. “Isn't that the prettiest blood you've ever seen?” I asked my Vitalant specialist named Denise. “Yes, it is,” she smiles. I agreed. “It's like a nice port wine, nice and rich.”
One week from today, it’s food, fun and lots of prizes, too. Sign up on the vitalant.org website, then schedule your time and do your paperwork for the Race Against the Clock event in the town of Scott. Then, you show up and you instantly become a philanthropist.
“We’re so excited for it, and we need it. Come race against the clock, so we can beat this summer blood crisis,” says Kizziar.
(Vitalant’s Race Against the Clock blood drive takes place Thursday, July 8th and Friday, July 9 at the new WestLine Event Center in Scott. To schedule a donation time and do your predonation paperwork in advance, visit www.vitalant.org/raceagainsttheclock).
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
