By: Ally Knudtson

JAMESTOWN, N.D. (JRMC) – Jamestown Regional Medical Center (JRMC) is hosting a blood drive on Thursday, Dec. 5 to help save lives.

The blood drive is open to the community from 9:30 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. in JRMC Conference Room ABC, located in the lower level.

JRMC Clinical Service Assistant Katie Mittleider says the blood drive is a great event for the community and staff.

“As professionals in the healthcare industry, we see how important it is to have donor blood readily available,” Mittleider said. “That’s why we host blood drives every year.”

People can donate blood up to three times each year.

The JRMC blood drive collects whole blood. During a whole blood donation, nearly 500 ml of blood is collected from the donor and then separated later into components like red cells, plasma and platelets. These are used for patient transfusions.

“This will be our 16th time holding a blood drive since 2011 at the Jamestown Regional Medical Center,” Mittleider said. “We welcome the opportunity to allow Vitalant into our facility to help us hold the blood drive. Vitalant provides our facility with red cells, platelets and plasma for transfusions.”

To date, the JRMC blood drive alone has collected 979 products of blood for Vitalant. As the sole provider of blood products for 68 area hospitals, Vitalant’s goal is to have at least 250 volunteers each day donate blood.

While most adults can donate blood, some individuals are ineligible. 

Certain diseases, like AIDS and hepatitis, prevent people from donating. 

Others who are ineligible include people who:

• have used needles to take nonprescription drugs
• have had syphilis or gonorrhea in the past 12 months
• have had the Ebola virus disease or infection

To donate blood and schedule an appointment or for donor eligibility, call (701) 952-4814 or go to www.bloodhero.com and use JRMC as the code.