Giving blood this holiday season

Giving blood this holiday season isn’t always something people think about, but is very vital this time of the year, as any.

As December approaches thoughts of Christmas holiday fun roll in, planning trips, buying presents and attending parades are a few. While merriment will be bountiful, members of Sampson Regional want to remind the community not to overlook the importance of giving blood.

“During the holidays, the need is still just as great,” Kristy Bland, Sampson Regional Business Development Liaison, said. “Many individuals often think of monetary gifts during the holiday season, however, by donating blood you are giving a gift to someone that is truly priceless and doesn’t cost anything more than just your time.”

Few around the county know of that need better than Natalie Lamb, Laboratory Director, for Sampson Regional. Lamb has championed the importance of donating blood to combat signs of blood shortages that have been present in Sampson County in the past.

Lamb said a shortage isn’t necessarily an issue currently, however, blood donations are always vitally needed regardless of a shortage, “We always need blood,” she said. While there’s no currently threat of a shortage, Lamb said all blood types are being requested for donation, specially O blood.

“We want all types, but if we requested one specifically it would be O positive and O negative,” Lamb stressed. “O negative is the universal donor, so anyone can get O negative, and then O positive is the most popular blood type. So that’s why, if we requested a need for a certain type, it would be for those.”

Lamb said the holiday season is always a contributing factor to potential shortages they may face at the end of the year.

“If I had to say just one other thing about shortages it’d maybe be about the holidays,” Lamb said. “I know everyone gets busy, but this is when our blood drives and our routine donations do slow down. I want to emphasis that since just because it’s the holidays doesn’t mean the need for blood goes away.”

Bland and Lamb both further eluded to the importance of that as Sampson County in one of a handful of hospitals in the state possessing it’s own blood blank.

“I think it is important for our community to know that we are one of only three hospitals that has their own blood bank,” Bland said. “The blood collected in our community from our wonderful blood donors who visit our Blood Donor Center and also the local businesses, churches, schools and special events where we hold onsite blood drives stays local to help individuals in need right here in our community.”

A sentiment Lamb shared adding a reminder to the community that since they have a blood bank Sampson Regional is not affiliated with known blood donor organizations.

“A lot of people don’t realize that we are not affiliated with Red Cross and Blood Connection, those are the big ones in the state,” Lamb said. “Since we have our own donor center, we don’t have to buy blood from those groups. That being the case, we can offer the community, local blood, from people that we know because we’re getting blood donations from our family and friends locally. We keep our blood in the community which is issued at our hospital, which could go to help your neighbor or your loved one.”

Lamb also noted the health benefits tied to donating blood for those into living healthy, and even for those who are not.

“We check your blood pressure, your pulse, your temperature and your hemoglobin, and those are some things you get at a doctor’s physical,” she said. “That can be important as many don’t always go to the doctor unless they’re sick. So, it just helps you. When we do our blood pressure checks, a lot of people like to have that, or they’ll write it down, because they want to keep up with what their blood pressure. That way they can show their doctor when they do go for a check up or that kind of thing.”

Those looking to get involved by giving a donation Sampson Regional has three upcoming blood drives in December.

Each are open to the public with the first being at Deacon Jones Toyota on Dec. 5. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sampson Regional will host the second on Dec. 9, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Pizza Inn rounds out the third on Dec. 30, from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m.

For those that decide to give, Lamb said Deacon Jones is giving out free service coupons, Pizza Inn will be giving out free buffets and the hospital will have its Christmas T-shirts available, while supplies last.

“Donating blood, it’s a gift, a gift of life that could save someone,” Lamb said. “It just takes about 45 minutes of your time and doesn’t cost you anything, but your time. If we have a cancer patient or a trauma patient, for example, your donation could be vital in actually saving a life, you just never know how a donation could make all the difference.”