Sanford Health

29/07/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 30/07/2024 04:29

8th Annual “Medics vs. Muscles” Blood Drive

8th Annual "Medics vs. Muscles" Blood Drive

July 29, 2024

Contact:
Jessica Schindeldecker
Sanford Health Senior Communications Specialist
(701) 200-6080/ [email protected]

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. - Sanford Ambulance and Sanford Health Thief River Falls Wellness Center are hosting their annual "Medics vs. Muscles" Blood Drive on Tuesday, Aug. 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Wednesday, Aug. 7 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Eagles Club, 305 Red Lake Blvd, in Thief River Falls.

This is the 8th year of the "Medics vs. Muscles" Blood Drive, a friendly competition encouraging community members to donate blood. Over the past six years, the event has collected 340 units of blood, with 92 blood products and five first-time donors last year alone.

"Blood donation is crucial for saving lives and improving community health," said Tim Cook, lead paramedic. "Every donation helps patients undergoing surgeries, recovering from accidents or battling life-threatening illnesses. We encourage those who can donate to join us in this friendly competition and make an immediate impact on someone's life."

With a nationwide blood shortage, the need for donations has never been more critical. Every day, U.S. patients require approximately 30,000 units of red blood cells and 6,000 units of platelets and plasma. The blood already on hospital shelves is what saves lives in emergencies. Each donation can impact multiple lives, significantly benefiting the community's well-being.

Participants can sign up online using the blood drive code: THIEFRIVERFALLS or by calling (218) 416-0213. For more information, visit vitalant.org or contact Jennifer Bredahl at (701) 729-1403.

About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America's heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves 1.4 million patients and nearly 200,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 45 hospitals, 211 clinic locations, more than 160 Good Samaritan Society senior living centers, 2,900 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 540 active clinical trials, and nine world clinic locations around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health's commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.

About Vitalant
Vitalant (Vye-TAL-ent) is one of the nation's largest nonprofit blood and biotherapies healthcare organizations, providing hospitals and patients across the U.S. a safe blood supply, specialized laboratory services, transfusion medicine expertise and world-renowned research. Individuals generously donating blood, volunteering and giving financially are essential to our lifesaving mission. Learn more at vitalant.org.