First Responder Blood Drive

First Responder Blood Drive Seeks Donors to Meet Holiday Patient Transfusion Needs
Pizza Hut Joins the Effort to Thank Blood Donors through Dec. 31 with a Free Pizza
Southern Arizona Locations Announced: Casa Grande, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa & Tucson

Help Arizona firefighters and police officers ensure an ample patient blood supply by donating during the First Responders Unite Holiday Blood Drive. Thanksgiving and through New Year’s Eve is the most difficult time of the year to maintain our blood supply. First responders know first-hand you can’t wait for an emergency to donate – it’s the blood on the shelves that saves lives. In appreciation for giving blood during the winter holiday season, Pizza Hut is thanking all blood donors through Dec. 31 in Casa Grande, Eloy, Florence, Maricopa and Tucson with a voucher for a complimentary medium pizza. To make an appointment to donate blood, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL(877-258-4825) – Southern Arizona blood drive locations detailed below.

It was the blood already on the shelves that saved Police Officer Chase McCance who was injured in a nearly fatal crash with a wrong-way driver last New Year’s Day . . .

It was the early morning hours of Jan. 1 in Arizona when Officer McCance was struck by a wrong-way driver. First responders rushed him to the hospital with multiple broken bones and internal bleeding. He required numerous blood transfusions while doctors operated to try to find the source of this internal bleeding. He spent more than one month in the hospital recovering from his injuries before he was finally able to come home to welcome his new baby boy in March and return to work on light duty in May. “I’ve consistently donated blood throughout my life, but never thought I would be on the receiving end,” reflected Officer McCance. “I’ll always be grateful to the people who donated blood and gave me the gift of getting to see my kids grow up.”

COVID-19 continues to impact Arizona supplies, as virtual workforces have caused the cancellation of nearly 33% of all blood drives statewide. At the same time, hospital blood usage has escalated as patients resume essential surgeries postponed during the height of the pandemic. “Holiday blood donors are urgently needed, said Sid Lewis, Sr. Director of Donor Recruitment for the Vitalant Southwest Division. “Since blood has a shelf life of 42 days, donations given in November can help save lives through New Year’s Day.” Donors of all blood types are needed for the holiday season, especially O-negative, the universal type used in emergencies and traumas. To dedicate your blood donation in honor of first responders, register at First Responders Holiday Blood Drive and follow the prompts to make an appointment at any Vitalant Arizona blood drive.

Vitalant Blood Donation Appointments: www.vitalant.org or 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825)

Public Blood Drives by City

Casa Grande
Sat, Nov 20, 10am-2pm, Grace Lutheran Church, 1805 E Sierra Pkwy
Mon, Nov 22, 10am-2pm, City of Casa Grande Emp Wellness Comm, 449 N Drylake St
Tue, Nov 30, 9am-1pm, Vista Grande High School, 1556 N Arizola Rd
Fri, Dec 3, 10am-2pm, Banner Casa Grande Medical Ctr, 449 N Drylake St
Mon, Dec 20, 10am-2pm, Grace Lutheran Church, 1805 E Sierra Pkwy
Mon, Dec 27, 10am-2pm, City of Casa Grande Emp Wellness Comm, 449 N Drylake St
Mon, Dec 27, 10am-2pm, Sundance 1 RV Resort, 1703 N Thornton Rd

Eloy
Tue, Dec 14, 8am-12pm, Empire Southwest Eloy, 3501 W Houser Rd

Florence
Tue, Nov 23, 10am-2pm, Florence Town Hall, 775 N Main St
Tue, Dec 21, 10am-2pm, Florence Town Hall, 775 N Main St

Maricopa
Sat, Dec 11, 10am-2pm, Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church-KOC, 44345 MLK Jr Blvd
Mon, Dec 20, 9am-1pm, Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino, 15406 Maricopa Rd

Tucson
Sun, Nov 21, 8am-1pm, St Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 8650 N Shannon Rd
Fri, Dec 3, 9am-2pm, Arizona Senior Academy, 13715 E Langtry Ln
Mon, Dec 20, 10am-2pm, DOD Tucson National Guard, 1750 E Silverlake Rd

About Vitalant
Vitalant (“Vye-TAL-ent”) is the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider exclusively focused on providing lifesaving blood and comprehensive transfusion medicine services for about 900 hospitals and their patients across the U.S. Every day, Vitalant needs to collect about 5,300 blood, platelet and plasma donations to help save lives. For more information and to schedule a donation appointment, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825). Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.