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Sheppard holds largest one-site blood drive

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Valerie Hosea
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas --  Sheppard hosted an American Red Cross blood drive Sept. 22-24 with a goal to break a base record set in 2008, but wound up having the largest one-site blood drive event for the Red Cross in Texas for 2009. 

"We collected [more than] 950 units of blood during this blood drive, which was 127 percent of our goal," said Maj. Roy Allen, 383rd Training Squadron nurse advisor. "We have potentially saved 2,000 lives." 

While donating blood to the American Red Cross saves lives, it can also save the local community thousands of dollars. 

"Each unit collected costs about $200 to screen for diseases that could be harmful to the recipient," he said. "Because the Red Cross screens the unit for free, we have saved the community $190,000." 

He said this year Sheppard has collected more than 3,180 units and is confident the goal of 4,000 units is in reach. 

"Last year it took 11 drives to get as far as we've gotten this year. We've only done five drives so far, and we're pretty close to last year's total of [more than] 4,220," Major Allen said.