CityView Magazine - Fayetteville, NC
Issue link: http://www.epageflip.net/i/1506749
30 September 2023 A gift of life Blood donors provide a critical resource that offers hope and precious time for those in need. BY JAMI MCL AUGHLIN | PHOTOGRAPHY BY RACHAEL SANTILL AN K rystin Keefe has a message for every single person she encounters: "One blood donation can save three lives and only takes 30 minutes of time to give." As the blood donor recruiter for Cape Fear Valley Health, Keefe wants everyone to know how important it is to give blood. "You cannot create blood in a lab. ere is no other way to get blood other than by donation, and what happens if it is not there? No one ever thinks about it not being there if or when you need it or even how it gets there," says Keefe. Keefe, whose mission is to educate the community on the importance of donating locally, says when the hospital has shortages, it can purchase from blood banks. But if people donate directly to Cape Fear Valley, the blood is available for local patients. "We can buy blood from a for-profit blood bank, but there is a national blood shortage. What if it isn't there to buy? … Blood donated here stays here," Keefe says. e health system is always in need, especially for certain blood types. "Our hospital needs donations badly. We especially need O negative. I also would like to encourage our African American population to donate. Anyone can be a match for a patient with sickle cell anemia, who are more likely to need regular blood transfusions, but the best match is from an African American donor," Keefe says. One of the best donor pools in this area is the younger generation. "High school students are some of our biggest donors. is summer, we had a shortage because school was out, and we looked forward to school being back in session because of how much they donate. It's our 16-, 17- and 18-year-old kids who are donating blood and saving multiple lives." Keefe also encourages businesses, churches and other organizations to host blood drives. HEALTH Kr ystin Keefe is the blood donor recruiter for Cape Fear Valley Health.