Warriors, Red Cross To Host September Blood Drive

San Francisco CA

31 August, 2021

10:52 PM

Description

SAN FRANCISCO, CA —The Golden State Warriors and the American Red Cross announced Tuesday they will be teaming up to host a blood drive next week. Organizers hope the drive will attract a diverse group of donors in order to help patients with different illnesses and inherited diseases, including sickle cell anemia. The drive will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sept. 7 at Thrive City, the plaza surrounding the Warriors' home arena the Chase Center. "The Warriors, they get involved in a lot of meaningful relationships, and this is no different," said Warriors assistant coach Mike Brown, who participated in one of the previous blood drives. "For them to be able to partner with the Red Cross, and do something like this on campus is very exciting. This does not surprise me that the Warriors are involved with the Red Cross and pushing a blood drive." According to a release, the Red Cross continues to have an ongoing, critical need for lifesaving blood this summer, and is encouraging donors of all races and ethnicities to participate in order to increase the diversity of the blood supply. When sickle cell patients need blood transfusions, the blood must match very closely - even beyond the A, B, O and AB blood types - to reduce the risk of complications. Sickle cell patients often worry there won't be a compatible blood product readily available, according to the Red Cross. During the drive, the Red Cross said it will be screening all blood, platelet and plasma donations from those self-identified African American donors for the sickle cell trait. So, donors also can gain insight into their own health. Results will be available in one to two weeks, the Red Cross said. In addition to helping those with sickle cell, donors can help with the current critical need for blood for individuals who experience complicated childbirths, people fighting cancer and victims being rushed to the emergency room, the Red Cross said. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive, and can do so by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting the Red Cross Blood Donation website, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device and entering sponsor code ThriveCity, organizers said. Furthermore, donors also can save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass, which allows donors to complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of the donation, from a mobile device or computer. This also can be done through the app. To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. In California, individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent where, allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. In most cases, those who have received a COVID-19 vaccine can donate. However, knowing the name of the manufacturer of the vaccine they received is important in determining donation eligibility, officials said.