Red Cross giving chance to save a life, sail the seas

By: SCNow Staff | SCNow
Published: April 07, 2009

The American Red Cross S.C. Blood Services Division is offering a chance to sail the seas while saving a life through blood donations.

The Save a Life & Sail the Seas campaign runs from April 1 to June 30. Each person who donates blood or platelets with the American Red Cross can enter for a chance to win one of three cruises for two from the Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Lines.

Mike Skipper, donor recruitment manager for the Florence area, said the program is a great way for people who have been putting off vacations because of the economy to take that trip they’ve been hoping for.

“We try to come up with a promotion every quarter to entice the donors to come out to our fixed site or to our mobile blood drives,” he said. “All of the donors that come in and give blood during this time period will be put into a drawing and we’ll have a lucky winner to come out of the area.”

Skipper said there have been past winners from Florence.

“Hopefully, we’ll continue our good luck with that,” he said. “With times the way they are, this will be a great blessing to someone.”

Britt Garris, customer service representative for the S.C. Blood Services Division of the Red Cross, said blood drives such as the Save a Life, Sail the Seas program are important because while 38 percent of the population is eligible to donate blood, only 5 percent actually make the donations.

“That’s just one more motivator to get people out there to donate,” she said. “Typically, most of our donors will donate whether we have a giveaway or not.”

The cruise package offered through Holland Cruise Line is for five days, the one offered through Carnival Cruise Line is for seven days.

“It’s a certificate for two, but they can pick the location and dates,” Garris said.

She said blood is needed in hospitals across the country every day for incidents, diseases and disorders.

“More than 38,000 blood donations are needed every day,” she said.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days. Platelets can be given safely every two weeks, as many as 24 times a year. Most healthy people 17 and older, or 16 with parental consent, who weigh at least 110 pounds, are eligible to donate blood and platelets.

For more details or to schedule an appointment to donate, call 1 (800) GIVE LIFE (448-3543) or visit www.redcrossblood.org.