Letter to the Editor: Give Blood This Month

Editor's note: The following is a letter sent to Easton Patch by City Councilman Jeff Warren. As always, we invite all public officials, and members of the public, to submit letters to the editor. -- Tom Coombe

Dear Editors:

Thanks to my colleagues on City Council, the City of Easton is now recognizing January as National Blood Donor Month because of the importance of donating blood in our local communities.  The New Year is a great time to realize and recognize how you can make a difference and truly save lives by donating blood.

There are countless individuals in our community who are eligible, yet they are not aware of the benefits.  If you are in good health, 17 years of age or older and weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, you are most likely eligible to donate blood.  This is important because every 2 seconds someone in the United States requires a blood transfusion. 4.8 million Americans would die each year without life saving blood transfusions.

Promoting life saving blood donations became even more personal for me a year and a half ago when my then 6 week old daughter needed a series of transfusions.  Her life was saved and she is now a vibrant toddler who is loving life with her twin sister and our family.  Blood donations played a major role in turning her health around.

For more information on how you can save lives by donating blood, please visit the Miller-Keystone Blood Center’s website at www.giveapint.org.

Jeff Warren
Member, Easton City Council