MARQUETTE -- January is National Blood Donation Volunteer Month. Blood collections are scarce during the holiday season resulting in a call to arms to balance out the supply for the new year.
The U.P. Regional Blood Center covers 12 U.P. hospitals in 13 counties. Although an estimated 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, less than ten percent donate.
Regardless of where you live, donations will be put to good use.
"One of the best things about Marquette General and our partnership with all of the other hospitals is that we can get blood to them daily if they need it. That is a huge positive, not only for them, but for us, too. If they don't need that blood, the blood will come back to us and we'll put it back into our own stock and potentially use it here or maybe at another hospital that it needs to go to," said Sallie Coron of the U.P. Regional Blood Center.
To qualify, you need to be 17 years old, in good health, weigh at least 110 pounds, and carry a photo ID.
To find a blood donation center near you, click here or call (906) 225-4610.
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