Freeman to host special CBCO blood drive

Cancelled blood drives due to winter weather are resulting in dwindling blood supplies for Community Blood Center of the Ozarks (CBCO). Freeman Health System will hold a special blood drive to help restock the shelves from 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, Monday, February 21. It will take place in the Freeman Business Center conference room. Read more about it below:

CBCO is the sole provider of blood and plasma products to Freeman, as well as more than 44 other hospitals in its 40-county service area. Many patients depend on blood transfusions, and Freeman Health System uses more than 500 pints of blood each month. An emergency blood drive held last winter at Freeman resulted in the collection of 35 units of blood.

At hospitals in southwest Missouri, northwest Arkansas and southeast Kansas, someone requires a blood transfusion every seven minutes. Over the past 18 months, the demand for blood at these facilities has increased more than 10 percent and is now at the highest level it has been since 2015.

CBCO is still experiencing lower than normal donations while seeing higher than normal hospital blood usage. It is an ongoing effort because blood is perishable. CBCO must collect about 200 pints every day to meet the needs of our local hospital patients. One of the most effective ways you can help local patients is to donate blood — routinely, if possible — with CBCO. You can give whole blood once every 56 days, and a single blood donation can save up to three lives.

Giving blood is a safe, easy way to ensure our friends, family and neighbors will have the lifesaving blood they need. Donors 17 or older who weigh at least 110 pounds and have not given blood in the past eight weeks are encouraged to participate. Donors will receive a free quarter-zip pullover while supplies last.

Please eat well and drink plenty of water before your appointment. Photo identification is required. CBCO follows current CDC guidelines regarding masks. If you don’t have a mask, one will be provided.

Appointments are strongly encouraged to manage donor flow. To schedule your appointment, call 417.227.5006 or you can go to cbco.org/donate-blood and enter sponsor code 0562