Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

In honor of two local children battling leukemia, the Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation, would like to give back to the community with a Red Cross Blood Drive in Brookneal. As September is Childhood Cancer Awareness month, This blood drive is held in honor Reese Anctil and Zeke Puig who are battling leukemia.

Patrick Henry’s Red Hill will host a community blood drive with the American Red Cross Tuesday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Red Hill in the Eugene B. Casey Education and Event Center. At this drive, donations will be tested for COVID-19 antibodies.

For more information or to make an appointment to donate, or for help with online scheduling, please contact customer care at 1-855-210-1278 (or customercare@redcross.org) from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Or sign up online at www.redcrossblood.org and search zip code 24528.

“Hosting a blood drive coincides with Patrick Henry’s core values of giving back to the community,” Hope Marstin, CEO said. “With a simple blood donation, we have the ability to help save the life of someone who could be a coworker, loved one or neighbor.”

Blood is routinely transfused to patients with leukemia, all types of cancer and other diseases, premature babies, organ transplant recipients and trauma victims, according to the Red Cross.

“The short amount of time it takes to donate can mean a lifetime to a patient with a serious medical condition. We urge eligible donors to join us in the selfless act of giving blood on July 7 from 1:30 p.m. until 7 p.m.,” Marstin said.

Donors of all blood types are needed, especially those with types O negative, B negative and A negative. According to the Red Cross, type O negative is the universal blood type that can be safely transfused to anyone and is often used to treat trauma patients.

The American Red Cross has had an unprecedented number of blood drive cancellations due to COVID-19 and needs life-saving blood donations now more than ever.

Donors are encouraged to sign up online, which will help eliminate lines. You can click here: https://www.redcrossblood.org/give.html/donation-time.

Extra precautionary measures will be in place. Red Cross staff and volunteers will have on masks and gloves. Each donor’s temperature will be taken before they enter the building A mask is available to all donors upon request or they may wear your own. Everything will be cleaned before and after each donor, including gloves. The six foot social distancing policy will be in effect for all donors. No one under the age of 16 will be allowed in the building. A friend or spouse is not allowed to accompany the donor while they are donating blood. The day of the blood drive you can visit www.redcrossblood.org/rapidpass to fill out your health information prior to arrival. This will speed up the process and limit person-to-person contact.

The Red Cross has been making a humanitarian impact for more than 130 years and has been collecting blood for more than 70 of those years.