Have a heart: Give blood on Feb. 14 at Northwest Community Healthcare (NCH)

You can save lives by donating blood at the Northwest Community Healthcare Blood Drive to be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Thursday, February 14 in the hospital’s Mallard Room, 800 West Central Road in Arlington Heights.

Bring a primary form of ID (photo ID or donor card) or two secondary forms of ID and be sure to eat a healthy meal and drink an extra 16-ounce glass of water and/or fluids before the donation.

“Donating blood takes only a short amount of time – generally less than 15 minutes – but it truly saves lives,” says Daniel Reaven, M.D.,NCH Emergency Medicine Physician. “It’s critical to bank enough blood at our hospital to provide quality healthcare for our entire patient population, many of whom will need transfusions for a variety of reasons, including emergent care and cancer treatment.”

There are many benefits to donating blood, according to the American Red Cross website, such as:

• Feeling great afterward
• Free cookies and juice
• Feeling special wearing my “I gave blood” sticker
• Knowing I helped save a life
• Knowing blood will be there if I or someone I know ever needs it

The American Red Cross offers the option of getting a Rapid Pass which will save donors 15 minutes. Visit redcross.org/rapidpass for more information. You can also download the Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS to make an appointment.