CityView Magazine

CityViewNC.com | 31 "We have a Bloodmobile that can come to you. It's a feel-good moment when you can see the community coming out to support each other, and that is what a blood drive does," Keefe says. Upcoming opportunities include blood drives at the Cumberland County Fair at the Crown Complex, at the Hutchens Law Firm on Ramsey Street and at the Fayetteville Public Works Commission offices. A full list is at capefearvalley.com/blood. To donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (or 16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds, be in good health and present identification. "Previous restrictions may have been lied, such as those formerly deferred for mad cow disease. Check with the Food and Drug Administration or our website for more. Some people don't realize they can donate now," says Keefe. Other donors who are no longer turned away are military members who spent time at U.S. bases in Europe. Know your type Another reason to donate blood is to find out your blood type for future needs. "e only ways that you can really find out your blood type is if you join the military, have a baby, have surgery or donate blood," Keefe says. Cape Fear Valley Health hopes that programs such as its Blood Assurance Plan will incentivize people to give blood. "You can receive blood credits, which can be used by you or given to a friend or family member, which will come off the medical bill because of the donation that has been given," says Keefe. Also in demand are platelets, which primarily help cancer patients, babies in intensive care and burn victims. "One of our donors got an extra year of life with her sister because she received platelets. She now comes in regularly to donate in her sister's honor because she wants to give someone else more time," Keefe says. Regular donor Chris Malloy, 68, has lived in Fayetteville for 45 years. "I started donating blood back in 1979 when the bank I was working at was doing a blood drive. I went and did fine. When I started donating, they did not have blood platelet donation yet," Malloy says. Her father was diagnosed with leukemia when she was 29. His doctors advised her to say her goodbyes. "ey said if I wanted to see him alive that I needed to come now. He walked out of the hospital aer a multitude of blood donations, and I had more time with him. Now, I'm paying it back. And why not? It takes a couple of hours of time and doesn't cost anything," says Malloy. "I was given nine additional months with my father because someone else gave. … I want to give someone else that chance. If I can do that, it would mean the world to me." Malloy says the screening process might take 15 to 20 minutes. Giving platelets takes a little longer because the platelets are separated and the blood is returned to the donor. "I give every two weeks, but if they are in a crunch, they will call me. … If they have multiple people in accidents, the hospital may use whatever they have in one day. ey know they can call me, but more people need to do the same. Most people do not know that your body replenishes the blood. It only takes 56 days. at's nothing when you look at how much time you could give someone else," Malloy says. e Cape Fear Valley Blood Donor Center is directly across from the hospital at 3357 Village Drive. It is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. every third Saturday. For more information, visit capefearvalley.com/blood or call 910-615-5433. Chris Malloy started donating blood back in 1979 and is now a regular donor. "I give every two weeks, but if they are in a crunch, they will call me. … If they have multiple people in accidents, the hospital may use whatever they have in one day. They know they can call me, but more people need to do the same. Most people do not know that your body replenishes the blood. It only takes 56 days. That's nothing when you look at how much time you could give someone else." – Chris Malloy

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