Auburn Medicare | Chapa-De Health Clinic
Chapa-De Celebrates National American Red Cross Month in March
Chapa-De recognizes the efforts of the Red Cross and encourages our patients and community members in Auburn and Grass Valley to take advantage of the various Red Cross programs. Red Cross offers everything from emergency preparedness, life-saving skills classes, and blood donation services.
Learn how to be “Red Cross Ready” by clicking HERE
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle includes efforts that reach beyond your health, and into your home to keep you safe!
Red Cross Month in March
The month of March was first proclaimed as Red Cross Month in 1943 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt. President Roosevelt did this as a way to raise awareness of the organization and its humanitarian mission in the midst of WWII. Since then, every president has designated March as National Red Cross Month.
The Red Cross Mission
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds, and provides emotional support to victims of disasters. Additionally, it supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. Finally, the Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.
For more information about the resources available to you in your community, please visit https://www.redcross.org/local/california/gold-country
How You Can Save a Life
Donating blood is an easy way for you to support the Red Cross. It takes only about 10 minutes, and your blood donation can actually help save lives! Here are more quick facts about donating blood:
- Donating blood is an active way of helping others.
- For you, it’s just a few moments out of your day, but for patients in need it may save their life.
- Donations are the only way of obtaining blood.
- Each donation may help up to three different people.
- Blood and its components have a limited life.
- Blood is used every day: we need 1,000 donations per day!
- Regular blood donations mean that there will be sufficient amounts of safe blood in stock.
What is the actual donation process like?
You might be a bit nervous the first time you go to give blood. That is completely normal! Here is what you can expect:
Step 1: Registration
Staff and volunteers sign you in and go over basic eligibility and donation information. You will be asked to show a donor card, driver’s license, or other form of ID.
Step 2: Mini-Physical
You will answer some questions during a private and confidential interview about your health history and places you have traveled. They will check your temperature, pulse, blood pressure and hemoglobin level present in a sample of blood. This step is just to make sure that it is safe for you to give blood.
Step 3: The Donation
The actual donation takes about 8-10 minutes, during which you will be seated comfortably. Rest assured, the process is safe and sterile, and the needle they use is very small. Red Cross staff and volunteers are available if you have any questions.
Step 4: Refreshment
After donating, you should have a snack and something to drink in the refreshments area. You can leave the site after 10-15 minutes and continue with your normal daily activities. Enjoy the feeling of accomplishment knowing that you have helped save lives!
Remember: men can give blood up to four times a year – women up to three times -providing there are at least two months between donations.
PASSIONATE PEOPLE. COMPASSIONATE CARE.
Chapa-De provides medical care, dental care, optometry, behavioral health, pharmacy services and much more.
Serving all American Indian, Low Income and Limited Income Community
Members
