METROPLEX NEWS RELEASE
Contact: Alycia Hooper
254-519-8119
March 25, 2009
For Immediate Release
Metroplex Blood Drive April 1
KILLEEN — On average, this area needs 1,000 donors a day to maintain our communities’ blood supply. Carter BloodCare supplied Metroplex Adventist Hospital with 1,701 units of blood in 2008 and 308 units in January and February of 2009. Carter hosts quarterly blood drives at Metroplex. The next blood drive is Wednesday, April 1st in Conference Room 3 from 12:30 to 6:00 p.m.
Take 30 minutes out of your day and save up to three lives. Aside from saving lives, there are many benefits to donating blood.
When donating, you participate in a mini physical. The staff at Carter BloodCare will take your blood pressure and pulse to ensure you are in good physical condition. You will then receive your blood type, cholesterol and iron levels. A few days after you donate, you can visit Carter’s website and find your total cholesterol numbers. Knowing your total cholesterol, blood pressure and pulse can help detect your risks for developing heart disease. Your iron levels determine how many red blood cells you are carrying. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout your body to your organs and cells. Having low iron levels can determine anemia which can be improved through diet and supplements.
Not only does donating blood give you a health check-up, it can benefit your entire family. After a donation, you will automatically be enrolled in Carter BloodCare’s Life Plan (no paperwork is involved). The Life Plan is designed to assure the donors they will receive financial assistance towards uninsured blood product fees if they or their tax dependent family members require a blood transfusion within 12 months of their donation. It is free! All that is required is that you donate blood on an annual basis.
For more information on Carter BloodCare call 254.399.8546 or visit carterbloodcare.org. For more information about Metroplex Wellness, please call 254.519.8202 or visit mplex.org.
Before you give blood:
Eat a good meal within 4 hours of your donation
Drink plenty of extra liquids
All donors must have a picture ID
Note the name and dosage of your medicines
About Metroplex Health System
Metroplex Health System is the primary healthcare provider for West Bell, Coryell and Lampasas counties, offering a wide array of medical specialties and wellness services. The 233-bed, multi-campus facility is a not-for-profit Christian organization operated as a community service by the Adventist Health System and Scott & White Healthcare. Adventist Health System manages 37 hospitals and employs over 43,000 people in the U.S. and is the 10th largest hospital system in the country. Scott & White Healthcare is one of the nation’s largest multi-specialty group practice systems with more than 700 physicians and scientists. Metroplex Health System and Scott & White Healthcare partnered in July 2008.
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