The San Pedro community has always been known for its unity and support for worthy causes. This includes organizing blood drives to assist those in need during emergencies. The recent blood drive, held by the San Pedro Community Blood Drive Group at the San Pedro Resource Center on Saturday, September 14th, recorded a low turnout.
Despite the aim to welcome as many donors as possible, only five pints of blood were collected, highlighting the urgent need for more community participation. The blood drive started at 8AM and ended at 2PM. While a handful of people showed support, only a few were eligible to donate.
Donors are recommended to get a good night’s rest, eat a hearty, iron-rich meal, and drink plenty of healthy liquids before donating. It is also emphasized that the person should not be on certain medications and should not have consumed alcohol the night before. Additionally, the donor is screened to ensure they are healthy enough.
Those in acceptable condition were happy to contribute a pint of blood to the noble cause. Organizers stressed the importance of supporting every blood drive, as blood needs are constant and unpredictable. The blood collected is taken to the blood bank in Belize City, which remains available for anyone in need.
The community plays a crucial role in this, as one pint of blood can save up to three lives. Therefore, the San Pedro Community Blood Drive team said they will continue contacting the community to build a more robust culture of supporting blood drives, empowering each member to make a life-saving difference. The next blood drive will be held within the next three months.
The San Pedro Community Blood Drive team expressed their heartfelt thanks to everyone who came to donate, including all the volunteers, sponsors, and medical team. In case of a blood emergency, text 615-4300 with the name of the person in need of blood, blood type, the required amount, and the name of the medical center where the patient is hospitalized..
