OAKLAND, Calif. (KCBS RADIO) – With multiple tragic shootings in the headlines, people may feel like they want to help. We've got an answer.
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Starting today, Valentine's Day, and through the end of March, you can join KCBS Radio in our virtual blood drive with the American Red Cross as part of our #KCBSCares campaign. The blood donation process will take a quick 30 minutes — eight to ten minutes for the donation and 20 minutes for refreshment and recovery — and all donors will receive a $10 Amazon gift card.
A new Red Cross donation center just opened at 5450 College Ave. in Oakland's Rockridge District, a few blocks from BART. Multiple eateries including a taqueria, a sushi spot, a fancy cheese store and a bookstore neighbor the location.
According to the Red Cross, donors give blood an average of 1.8 times each year, but if everyone gave just once more, the blood supply would never be in jeopardy.
Red Cross Regional CEO Hanna Malak told KCBS Radio the humanitarian organization also needs platelets.
"It is a longer procedure, it takes about two hours," he said. "We draw blood from you, it goes through a mini centrifuge and gives back the donor their plasma and their red cells and just keeps their platelets."
Through this method, the Red Cross is able to collect three times the amount of platelets normally retrieved in a whole blood donation. The platelets are typically used for cancer patients and last only five days after the procedure, making them in high demand.
To make an appointment at your nearest Red Cross blood donation site, go to KCBSRadio.com/events.
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