By Staff
Important to give blood, help others
Someone we know and Love is in the battle of her life! Someone you know and love can help! That's the purpose of writing this letter. Recently Jan Marsh was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma. Many times, if not all of the time, people who have this or any type of cancer will need blood. The sad part of this is if people, like yourself, don't give blood. ..then the chance of getting well decreases immensely. Am I trying to scare you? Not at all, I am stating facts. The number one use of blood products and blood is cancer. If you are reading this, in your life time, either you, a friend, a neighbor or relative will have cancer. That is why it is so important that we have a substantial safe blood supply available to these people. Think how awful it would be to be told we don't have any blood available.
As you read this, every two seconds someone in the United States needs blood or blood products. Also if you were one of those people and someone did not give blood at least two days prior to your needing the blood… IT WOULD BE TOO LATE for someone to give blood for you. Blood must be sitting on the shelf waiting to be used. It takes approximately 48 hours to get the blood processed in order to be ready to infuse to a person in need. The shelf -life of blood is 42 days. That's how long blood will last unused. Guess what???? It never makes it 42 days. There are times when elective surgery is cancelled because it isn't there. Only you can make the difference and guarantee blood will be there not just for friends like Jan Marsh, but for anyone who may need it.
You will have the opportunity to donate blood in honor of Jan on April 23 from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the First United Methodist Church on Pensacola Avenue. You may call the church to schedule an appointment (368-8197) or call me at 368-4860 during the day.
As someone who has had to have blood and whose father just recently had to have blood, I say this to you: Someone rolled up his/her sleeve and gave the "gift of life." Thank you! You are a hero in the eyes of my family.
Sincerely,
Susan Smith
Atmore
Registered nurse
Friend of Jan Marsh