FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Blood Center Announces December and January Holiday Hours

The holiday season isn’t only about enjoying Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and other celebrations. It’s not only about festivities, presents and family get-togethers. Puget Sound Blood Center reminds the community that the holiday season is also about giving. There are people in our community every day who need blood – for cancer treatments, injuries sustained in automobile accidents or for lifelong ailments. What better gift to give than the gift of life?

The Blood Center, a non-profit organization, is announcing its holiday hours and encourages the community to make a blood donation sometime in the upcoming weeks.

“Want to do something really spectacular this holiday season?” asked Steve McLean, spokesperson with Puget Sound Blood Center. “Then contact the Blood Center and make a blood donation. Your gift may make the difference in someone’s life and ensure that they live to enjoy another holiday with family and friends. Your gift may save someone’s father, mother or grandparent.”

Holiday Hours and Locations
Please plan to donate at one of the Blood Center’s nine locations or mobile drives collecting blood during the holiday season. While Blood Center locations and mobiles are closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, each of the nine donor centers will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve. This includes the Lynnwood location, which is typically closed on Fridays.

A registered nurse will be on-call to respond to any requests for matched apheresis platelet or granulocyte collections. Those interested in making a donation can schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-398-7888. Donor centers are as follows:

Serving 70 hospitals in 14 Western Washington counties, Puget Sound Blood Center requires a daily minimum of 900 people to register as donors. From this number, the Blood Center needs to collect 750 to 800 units of blood per weekday to ensure that the region’s supply remains adequate.

About Puget Sound Blood Center
Celebrating 60 years in the community, the Blood Center is internationally recognized for groundbreaking research in transfusion and transplantation medicine. The nonprofit Blood Center is the resource for patients in Western Washington who need blood, tissue and specialized laboratory services. Founded in 1944, the Blood Center has a long and unique tradition of blending community volunteerism, medical science and research to improve patients’ lives. The organization directly affects the lives of over a half million patients annually in more than 70 hospitals and clinics in 14 counties of Washington State and provides tissue and transplantation support to 185 hospitals across the Northwest. For more information, visit www.psbc.org.

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