The next blood drive at JPS will be Monday, April 2, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Skills Lab on the third floor of the OPC.
Donors must bring along a driver’s license or other state-issued I.D. (not just your JPS badge) and can reserve a time in advance by clicking here:
John Peter Smith Hospital
As Level I Trauma Center, JPS relies on blood donors to provide lifesaving blood products for the most critically injured patients. Donated blood is processed into its components, red blood cells, plasma and platelets. All three are used to in resuscitation of trauma patients with significant blood loss.
Carter BloodCare screens all donors, a process that includes a finger-stick blood test for hemoglobin, which transports oxygen and is rich in iron. Would-be donors with low hemoglobin levels must be asked to postpone donation. To raise the odds of successful donation, Carter BloodCare recommends maintaining a healthy iron level by eating foods rich in iron.
Iron-rich foods include meat, fish and poultry; vegetables such as spinach, sweet potatoes, peas, broccoli, string beans and kale; fruits including strawberries, watermelon, raisins and prunes; and foods such as tofu, beans, tomato products and lentils. More information about maintaining a healthy iron level can be found at http://www.carterbloodcare.org/why-is-iron-important-to-your-health/.