City of Fate to host blood drives in celebration of 120th anniversary

Carter BloodCare seeks donors, pandemic likely to limit high school drives

FATE, Texas (September 14, 2020) – Carter BloodCare usually collects 20 to 25 percent of its annual blood supply at high school blood drives. That was true before the coronavirus pandemic occurred. Last March, hundreds of blood drives canceled when a shelter-in-place directive closed schools, along with businesses and houses of worship.

‘Back to school’ is still undefined in some communities. Some parents worry about sending their kids back to a physical school, safely. There is uncertainty about whether the schools that are open will remain that way, or if outbreaks will again require closures. This fall, Carter BloodCare is counting on community blood drives outside of schools to maintain the blood supply that hospitals require for patient transfusions. There is no substitute for blood. It cannot be manufactured.

City of Fate is hosting two community blood drives to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of Fate in 2020. The first drive will be held from 7 a.m. to noon Monday, September 21 at Fate City Hall. The second blood drive is from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. also Monday, September 21, at City of Fate Community Center. For more information, or to schedule an appointment time, contact Jessica Larson at (972) 771-4601 extension 106 or call 1-800-Donate4.

Carter BloodCare continues to offer coronavirus antibody testing on successful donations for a limited time. Donors can retrieve their results within one to two weeks through a secure portal on the blood center’s web site that donors set up following a donation. In addition to cholesterol level, temperature, hemoglobin, pulse rate and blood pressure data, donors now also learn whether they were likely exposed to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Carter BloodCare knows safety is top of mind for blood donors. Carter BloodCare is performing extra sanitization and staff wears masks and gloves. But in the era of COVID-19, there are some ways donors can do their part to help. To reduce wait times, donors can fill out the medical history questionnaire online before they show up to give blood. This means fewer people are waiting, making it easier to “social distance.” Carter BloodCare limits the number of donors on each bus, so making an appointment is the best way to reduce lines.

Remember to eat a nutritious meal and drink plenty of water at least an hour before giving blood. All donors must weigh at least 110 pounds, feel well on the day of donation, and present a government-issued photo ID each time they give blood.

Potential blood donors may volunteer beginning at age 16 with parental consent; 17-year-olds may give independently and there is no upper age limit for donating blood. For more information on donor eligibility and to make an appointment, call 1-800-366-2834 or visit carterbloodcare.org.

For information on donor eligibility and appointments, call or text 800-366-2834 or visit carterbloodcare.org. For more information on antibody testing for COVID-19, visit the Centers for Disease Control web site.

About Carter BloodCare

Carter BloodCare is an independent, community blood center providing transfusion resources to more than 180 medical facilities in 50-plus counties of north, central and east Texas. The non-profit 501(c)(3) organization is one of the largest blood programs in Texas, delivering more than 450,000 blood products annually to meet hospitals’ requirements for their patients. Services include collection, processing, specialized laboratory testing, storage and distribution of blood and blood products. Tu centro de sangre comunitario.

Submitted press release, edited for publication in Blue Ribbon News.

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