The beautiful thing about giving blood is that each donation can save three lives. The frustrating thing is that it’s so hard for the donations to keep up with the demand for these amazing gifts.
That’s why the Chicago Wolves and Vitalant are partnering again to help save lives. Thanks to Wolves fans’ incredible generosity, we collected 134 pints of blood during our last blood drive on Dec. 18 — enough to save 402 lives!
Now, with the need even greater than it was over the holidays, the Wolves and Vitalant are hosting another blood drive from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, April 23, at the Allstate Arena’s Skyline Room in Rosemont. The Wolves face the Milwaukee Admirals at 7 p.m. that night, so it’s the perfect opportunity to donate and then enjoy a terrific hockey rivalry as both teams look forward to the Calder Cup playoffs.
“We’re grateful so many people took the time to save lives in December,” said Greg Sprott, the Chicago Wolves’ Senior Director of Partnership Sales. “Wolves fans are always the first to step forward to help somebody else, so we believe in April we can match or exceed the 134 donations we received in December. Thanks in advance to everyone who signs up to donate and make a dramatic difference in others’ lives.”
Wolves mascot Skates will be at the Skyline Room to meet and greet donors. In addition, all donors will receive two ticket vouchers to a Wolves game of their choice during the 2022 Calder Cup Playoffs, a limited-edition Vitalant/Chicago Wolves T-shirt, a Wolves hat and will be entered into a drawing to win an autographed Wolves jersey. All donations serve a valuable purpose.
“Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood and it can take up to two-and-a-half days for donated blood to be ready to help patients after processing and testing,” said Vitalant communications manager Jaelyn Bishop. “Type O blood is the most transfused blood type, with the universal type O negative often used in emergency situations when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type. Platelets help form blood clots and stop bleeding. About half of all platelet donations support cancer patients.”
While walk-ins are welcome on the day of the event, the Wolves and Vitalant recommend everyone make appointments in advance. Donors must be at least 17 years old – or 16 with parental consent. To schedule your appointment, visit Vitalant.org/Wolves and search for Group Code ORD0RS20. It’s also easy to make an appointment by calling (877) 258-4825.
The best donation preparation includes eating well, staying hydrated and arriving at the Skyline Room with proper identification. Plan on the appointment lasting about an hour, though the donation takes just 10 minutes. The entire process is both safe and comfortable.