Monday, Jan. 16, 2023–10:30 a.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

This is National Blood Donor Month, and Blood Assurance has started a couple of new initiatives to encourage more people to give the gift of life.

The first is geared toward increasing donations of O-positive and O-negative blood. One of those is called the Blood Assurance HerO Club, according to Max Winitz with Blood Assurance.

“It’s geared toward those with O-positive and O-negative blood,” he said. “Basically, we’re calling on all O donors to donate a couple of times each quarter and they will be rewarded with some really amazing prizes such as an Eddie Bauer jacket, a Yeti Rambler cup, a $50 e-gift card, you name it.”

O-negative is the universal blood donor type, which means it can go to anyone in case of emergency. O-negative blood can go to other negative blood types if needed.

The second initiative is geared toward platelet donations.

“It’s called the Heart of Gold Platelets Club,” Winitz said. “It calls on platelet donors to give the gift of life four times each quarter. You can give platelets each couple of weeks. The individuals who accomplish this will receive prizes like an Igloo cooler backpack, a Yeti travel mug, a duffel bag, or a port authority commemorative jacket. That is open to everybody.”

For more information, you can visit bloodassurance.org.