North Dakota Farmers Union hosted a blood drive with Vitalant on Dec. 1-2 which collected 112 units of blood products for patients in need.
There were 107 individuals who volunteered to donate blood, and 95 individuals were able to donate. Sixteen people gave Power Red Cells (2RBC), which collects two units of red blood cells while returning platelets, plasma and a saline solution to the donor. Twelve people volunteered for the first time.
Vitalant expressed their gratitude to Tom Sanders, who coordinated the drive, and the Jamestown Lions Club, which sponsored the blood drive.
Vitalant strives to keep a five-day supply of every blood type on the shelf at all times to be able to meet the needs of patients across the region. Donations from O-negative donors, the universal blood type, are especially important this time of year due to increased accidents and trauma cases.
Vitalant is the only blood provider to nearly 70 hospitals across the region.
