Community Corner
Patch Gives 5: Blood Donations
Local Editor, Quincy Hodges shares his experience of going through a double-red cell donation for the first time.
As an organization Patch employees donate 5 business days a year to a local organization that needs volunteers.
I haven't donated blood in about three or four years, so it has been awhile. I was scared and nervous about the needles. But the staff at and Aurora Heartland Blood Center was helpful and encouraging.
As I was in the pre-screening process, one of the nurses asked me, if I wanted to donate a double-red cell, in which at the time, I had no idea what that was.
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The Heartland Blood center staff told me a “DRC” is similar to the a regular blood donation but there is a special machine used to donate two units of red blood cells during one donation and will return plasma back to me.
The procedure took almost an hour but I wasn’t in any discomfort. This donation helps one person in need of red cells.
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If you missed donating yesterday, there is a blood drive today in Crystal Lake from 3 to 7 p.m. at the , 461 Pierson St.
The next blood drive at Holy Cross Lutheran Church will be later this year in August.
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