According to the Community Blood Center website, 4.5 million Americans need a blood transfusion each year. Someone needs blood every two seconds. An average of one in seven people who enter the hospital need blood. Think about these staggering numbers for a minute. Now think about the fact that only 10 percent of eligible blood donors actually donate.
They say that one donation of blood can save up to three lives. This one simple pint that comes from a person's donation is only about eight percent of your blood volume and is replaced by your body in 24 to 48 hours. The late NIck Mersch of Eagle Grove was one of these people who not only donated, but donated regularly "because he could." December 15 he would have been 100 years old, and in honor of this milestone moment, his daughter, Colleen Bartlett, held a LifeServe blood drive in Eagle Grove on Tuesday, Dec. 15. Her goal was to have enough donations to save 100 lives.
“You blew your goal of 100 lives saved out of the water,” said Carrie Johnson of LifeServe Blood Center who helped Bartlett planning the details of the drive.
"I'm so pleased with how things turned out," said Bartlett at the end of the night.
There were 50 people pre-registered for the blood drive at Memorial Hall. Of those, 41 were able to donate with 28 of them being first-time donors. Five of the 41 including Bartlett herself, gave double red cell donations. In total, 48 units of blood were collected at the Nick Mersch Blood Drive.
"I've never donated before but felt like this would be a good time to have my first experience," said first-time donor and Eagle Grove High School senior Heidi Garcia about deciding to participate in the Nick Mersch blood drive.
Ann Shriver, who hasn't donated blood since high school, also decided to participate in the event.
"Colleen and Nick are friends of the family," she said about deciding to donate. "It's a great idea so I did it."
Bartlett, who was actually the first official donor of the day said, "This (donating) is rewarding knowing I've saved someone's life today."
Bartlett was also contacted by 12 additional friends and relatives who were not able to make it to the Dec. 15 blood drive in Eagle Grove, but have or will be donating in her dad's honor in another location. That an additional 36 lives will be saved.
“Wow, I am overwhelmed,” said Bartlett humbly.
Bartlett said she has been asked by lots of people who were unable to donate this time if she would organize another blood drive in Eagle Grove soon.
"The need for blood isn't going to go away, so I may try to organize another one in the spring of 2021," she said.
In order to follow all social distancing guidelines, appointments for any blood donation in any location are requested. You may schedule your LifeServe donation by calling 1-800-287-4903 or online at lifeservebloodcenter.org.
