Lauderdale County residents are invited to help save the lives of fellow Mississippians as Mississippi Blood Services hosts a blood drive Tuesday at Meridian-Lauderdale County Public Library.
From 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., residents can stop by the library’s west parking lot to donate at Mississippi Blood Services’ bloodmobile. Those who donate will receive a $10 Visa gift card as a thank-you for their gift.
According to the non-profit blood service, supplies of blood in Mississippi are critically low. The state has a severe shortage of all blood types except for AB+ and AB-, for which it has a 3-day supply.
Blood has multiple uses, and each donor can impact multiple lives depending on the type of donation and the needs of the recipients. Whole blood contains red blood cells, which are often used for trauma patients and surgeries.
Blood also includes platelets, which aid in blood clotting and are needed by those with bleeding disorders, plasma, white blood cells and more.
Donors must be at least 17, or 16 with parental consent, 110 pounds and healthy. To see if you’re eligible to give blood, a donor history questionnaire can be found online at msblood.com.
While walk-ins are welcome, residents who want to donate are encouraged to make an appointment by scanning the QR code on the flyer or online at msblood.com.