Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
PORTAGE, Ind. (May 7, 2018) — Bluebird Tattoo wants to help local patients while also debunking the common myth that you can’t donate blood if you have a tattoo or recently received a tattoo. Bluebird Tattoo is inviting the community to the annual Leave Your Mark American Red Cross blood drive Saturday, May 12 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
This is the fourth annual Leave Your Mark blood drive coordinated by Bluebird Tattoo owner Drew Thomas. The first three drives resulted in 79 total donations being given. Thomas hopes for an even greater turn out this year.
“Working in a tattoo facility, I hear many people saying they won’t be able to give blood after getting their tattoo,” said Thomas. “That rule changed many years ago and I want to help debunk that myth.”
In addition to hosting the Red Cross blood drive, Thomas also rolls up his own sleeve to give. “People with tattoos have already showed they are not afraid of needles. And giving blood is no different. Blood donation is not a painful process, and at the end you know you are helping someone in need. Nothing to be afraid of!”
Your eligibility to donate blood is not affected by your recently received tattoo if it was applied at a state-regulated entity using sterile needles. Most states currently regulate tattoo facilities, including Indiana. If your tattoo was applied by a facility that is not state regulated, then wait 12 months after your tattoo was applied before giving blood.
“When you give blood, you could be giving new life to someone’s brother, child, parent or friend,” said Trish Cochran, recruitment account manager for the Red Cross. “Giving blood is a quick and easy way to make a big impact on countless lives with just an hour of your time.”
The Red Cross depends on blood donor heroes across the nation to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals nationwide. In Indiana alone, the Red Cross needs about 450 donors each day to support patients at 80 hospitals across the state. Donors of all blood types, especially type O, are needed to help those rely on blood products.
Leave your Mark Blood Drive
Saturday, May 12, 2018
9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Bluebird Tattoo
6230 Central Ave., Portage, IN 46368
All those who come to donate with the Red Cross now through May 13, 2018, will be entered to win one of three $1,000 gift cards to a national home improvement retailer, courtesy of Suburban Propane. (Restrictions apply. More details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Lets-Do-More.)
How to help
Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.
Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a computer or mobile device. To get started and learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.