Honor Moms, Get Thanked When Giving Blood this May with Vitalant

$5 Amazon.com gift card or ball cap for all those who come to help save lives

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Apr 28, 2021, 10:00 ET

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., April 28, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Nonprofit blood services provider Vitalant urges all eligible donors to make an appointment to give blood, platelets or plasma this May in support of mothers and all patients relying on lifesaving blood transfusions. As a token of thanks, all those who come to give May 1 through May 25 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card* or a Vitalant ball cap May 26 through June 1, redeemable via email.

Pandemic continues to cancel blood drives while the need increases
More than 200 blood drives continue to be canceled each week because of the pandemic, but the need for blood has returned to pre-pandemic levels. There is an urgent need for donors to help new mothers experiencing childbirth complications, grandmothers battling cancer, sisters with chronic blood disorders, and other patients. Those who receive a Food and Drug Administration authorized COVID-19 vaccine can give blood immediately if other eligibility requirements are met.

New mom's life saved by blood donors
Emily Peters was one of the patients whose life was saved by blood donors. Fifteen minutes after delivering a baby girl named Lucy, Emily experienced an arterial bleed, was rushed to surgery and received 32 blood components. "I pretty much died and was saved by blood donors," she said. Watch Emily's Mother's Day story here.

"As life begins to return to normal for some, we are experiencing an increase in the need for blood donations," said Cliff Numark, chief of marketing and senior vice president of donor services with Vitalant. "Trauma and accident victims, cancer patients and those now undergoing previously postponed surgeries may all need blood. Donors with all blood types are needed, especially type O—the most transfused blood type."

How to Give
To learn more and schedule an appointment to donate, please visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Vitalant follows strict protocols to ensure the safety of donors, patients and staff, including social distancing, disinfecting public areas and requiring face masks.

About Vitalant
Vitalant ("Vye-TAL-ent") is the nation's largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider exclusively focused on providing lifesaving blood and comprehensive transfusion medicine services for about 900 hospitals and their patients across the U.S. Every day, Vitalant needs to collect about 5,300 blood, platelet and plasma donations to help save lives. For more information and to schedule a donation appointment, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

*Restrictions apply. More information at vitalant.org/MayThanks2021.

Media Line: 480-675-5587

SOURCE Vitalant