Saving a life can only take a minute

It turns out that saving a life or two only takes a minute of your time.

Actually in a year’s time, it takes about 120 minutes, but it’s well worth it if you ask Jennifer Ryan, executive director for the Lee County Red Cross.

Saturday, the Lee County Red Cross and the Child Advocacy Center of East Alabama will be sponsoring the Bunnies for Babies Blood Drive.

With each donation received, donors will get to sign a card which will be placed with a stuffed bunny and presented to a child following the drive.

The Child Advocacy Center of East Alabama serves children ages 3 to 17 who have been victims of sexual abuse, physical abuse or that have been witnesses to violence.

What it amounts to is a win-win situation for all parties involved.

“Not only can you save a life through a blood donation, but at the same time you can bring a little joy to a child who needs it,” Ryan added.

Since each blood donation’s plasma and platelets are potential lifesavers, every donation counts.

Roughly 800 blood donations are needed daily in the area daily to meet medical demands - a substantial amount of which comes from the area’s college community, much of which is currently enjoying Spring Break.

“When schools are out we lose about 30 percent of our blood donors, but we hope that those who do stay behind along with the rest of the community will come out and give,” Ryan said.

The need for blood in the state is one Ryan said constantly needs to be satisfied.

“We never collect enough blood to meet our needs in the state,” Ryan said. “Only 3 percent of eligible blood donors in Alabama give, leaving the Red Cross to import nearly 14,000 units of blood in to Alabama from other regions.”

That need for blood donations increases as holidays and the summer months approach, according to Ryan.

Those who do donate are usually done in about 45 minutes which includes signing in, answering a few health questions, getting your snack and free T-shirt.

All presenting volunteer donors in March will be entered into a drawing to win airline tickets and a cruise for two on Carnival Cruise Lines. Once you’re in the donation chair, the process only takes about 10 minutes provided the waiting lines aren’t too long.

“We don’t want to keep anyone waiting, but having lots of donors is a good problem for us to have,” Ryan said.