Vitalant Looks for Blood Donors as Summer Months Approach

Vitalant serves hospitals in North Dakota, South Dakota and Western Minnesota

FARGO, N.D.– With the unofficial start of summer just ahead, Vitalant is looking for blood donors to help serve nearly 70 area hospitals.

Vitalant serves hospitals in North Dakota, South Dakota and Western Minnesota.

20% of Vitalant’s donors are high school and college students.

A representative says the summer months are especially important because of people traveling and patients choosing to have surgeries such as knee replacements.

“Most first-time donors or the majority of our donors will donate whole blood, which is one unit of blood composed of red blood cells, plasma and platelets which allows us to separate those into three different components which in turn helps three different patients in three different situations,” Vitalant senior donor recruitment representative Katie Bartelson said.

Bartelson says it only takes between five and eight minutes to draw the blood.

Click on the link to donate.