Steve Main, the director of Poudre Valley Hospital Emergency Medical Services, has officially issued a challenge to other emergency workers in Fort Collins to save lives through blood donation in honor of 9/11.
The second annual 9/11 Blood Drive Challenge is a friendly competition between the Fort Collins Police Services, Poudre Fire Authority and PVH EMS. The agency with the most blood donations made in its name between Sept. 1 and Sept. 11 wins the challenge, so they are asking the community for a little help.
There are several opportunities to donate in Fort Collins as part of this challenge.
THE MOBILE HERO BUS will be on site at the following locations as part of the challenge:
• Fort Collins Police Services, 2221 S. Timberline Road, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 2.
• PVH EMS, 3509 Mason St., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 3.
• Poudre Fire Authority, near the intersection of College Avenue and Mountain, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 11.
AT THE GARTH ENGLUND BLOOD CENTER IN FORT COLLINS: Residents can donate any weekday from Sept 1-11 at the Garth Englund Blood Donation Center, 1025 Pennock Place, Suite 104. The donation center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, 11 to 7 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays and 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays.
AT THE GARTH ENGLUND BLOOD CENTER IN LOVELAND: Donors also can donate at the blood center at Medical Center of the Rockies, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland from 8 a.m. to 3:30 on Mondays or noon to 7 p.m. on Thursdays during the challenge.
Points are awarded to an agency every time someone donates in its name. Three points are awarded for every donation made on the mobile Hero Bus as part of the challenge. Two points are awarded for every donation made at the Garth Englund Blood Centers. Five points are awarded for every platelet donation.
In addition, everyone who makes an appointment to donate will get a free T-shirt on their donation day.
Whole blood donations take 30-40 minutes. Appointments for whole blood donations are not required but appreciated. Platelet donations, which require an appointment, take anywhere from 45-110 minutes.
For more details or to schedule an appointment for platelet donation, call 970.495.8987. To sign up online for a whole-blood donation appointment on the Hero Bus at any of the three challenge on-site blood drives, go to the signup sheet at http://bit.ly/1WHSC9R.
Each blood donation can save three lives, according to Christina DiGiallondardo, University of Colorado Health’s blood donor recruiter. Blood donated through the challenge, as well as all blood donated through UCHealth’s Garth Englund Blood Center throughout the year, stays local. It helps patients at Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Greeley Emergency and Surgery Center and Estes Park Medical Center.
When all of the donations are compiled, the agency that has the most donation point will win a traveling trophy and bragging rights. Last year, those bragging rights went to the crew at PVH EMS.
“In the end, though, everyone wins,” said DiGiallondardo. “We know that 9/11 is a difficult time for many people. We are thrilled to give the community a way to give back and turn the day into something better.”
About University of Colorado Health
University of Colorado Health is a Front Range health system that delivers the highest quality patient care with the highest quality patient experience. University of Colorado Health combines Memorial Hospital, Poudre Valley Hospital, Medical Center of the Rockies, University of Colorado Hospital and a network of more than 40 medical clinics into one organization dedicated to health and providing unmatched patient care in the Rocky Mountain West.
Media contact: Kelly Tracer 970.237.7114 or [email protected]