We rarely go deep into Pasadena for news, since we're Altadena-focused, but we thought this press release from the American Red Cross Blood Donor Center was worth passing on:
In order to better serve its donors, the Pasadena American Red Cross Blood Donor Center now offers concurrent whole blood and platelet apheresis collections six days per week. The Red Cross invites you to enjoy food and festivities and help celebrate the “Grand Re-opening” of the center on Wednesday, May 28, 12 noon to 7 p.m. A ribbon cutting ceremony, hosted by the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, will be held at 5 p.m. The Red Cross donor center is located at 133 N. Altadena Drive, Suite 103. Pasadena, CA. Appointments to donate whole blood or platelets during the “Grand Re-opening” can be made by calling 1-800-GIVE LIFE (1-800-448-3543).
The Pasadena Donor Center, originally located on Lake Street in Pasadena, moved to the Altadena address in December 2005. While the donor center has been offering a choice of either whole blood or apheresis donations on select days, whole blood and apheresis operations will now run concurrently and under the same schedule:
Monday-Wednesday 12pm to 7pm
Thursday 10am to 5pm
Friday and Saturday 7am to 2pm; and
every other Sunday 6:30am to 12 noon (Apheresis donations only).
“With the training of all staff members in both apheresis and whole blood collections, donors will experience a shorter wait time,” states Armando Romero, manager of the American Red Cross Pasadena Donor Center. “We are confident that this integrated structure will improve communications, coordination, consistency, efficiency, and performance.”
Whole blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets suspended in a watery fluid called plasma. Blood may be transfused as whole blood or as one of its many components.
Apheresis is a process by which platelets or other individual blood components are collected from a donor. This process is accomplished by using a machine called a cell separator which collects the desired component and returns the remaining components of the blood to the donor by the automated instrument.
Any healthy person age 17 or older (age 16 with written parental consent) and weighing at least 110 pounds may be eligible to donate blood. All eligible donors are asked to schedule an appointment to donate blood by calling 1.800.GIVE.LIFE (1.800.448.3543) or by visiting www.GiveLife.org. To organize a blood drive, call 1.800.491.2113. For Spanish, please call 1.866-POR.VIDA (1.866.767.8432).
