DAYTON, OH - January is National Volunteer Blood Donor Month and Community Blood Center (CBC) is recognizing all donors and volunteers who support CBC Donor Centers and mobile blood drives in CBC’s 15-county region of western Ohio and eastern Indiana. Since 1970 January has been designated as a special month to encourage donors to give blood or make a pledge to donate. The 2014 theme is “Make Lifesaving a Habit.”

January was established as National Blood Donor Month because maintaining the community blood supply is traditionally a challenge during the winter months. CBC begins the New Year with an ample reserve and is well positioned to reliably provide our partner hospitals with the blood they need.

“CBC blood donors save lives in our region every day,” said CBC Chief Operating Officer Jodi Minneman. “We couldn’t fulfill our mission without our donors and all the wonderful individuals who coordinate blood drives with our many partner organizations. They truly make lifesaving a habit, a very good habit.”

Every day hospitals and emergency centers across the country need approximately 39,000 units of blood to treat patients with cancer and other diseases, organ transplant recipients, and accident victims. Type O-negative is the universal blood type, commonly used to treat accident victims, and usually the first to run low.

CBC’s goal for 2014 is to register 88,000 blood donors and collect 74,000 pints of blood (not every individual who registers to give blood is able to donate). CBC will also strive to register 7,300 platelet donors in order to collect 9,800 units of platelets.

In round numbers, CBC needs about 300 units of blood and platelets from more than 350 donors each day. It remains CBC’s mission and responsibility to recruit these donors and provide the services necessary to complete these goals.

CBC’s message in 2014 will be familiar: Blood donors are real life heroes because of the sacrifice they make to save the lives of people they may never know. If you are at least 17 years of age (16 with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and meet other donor requirements, you may be eligible to donate blood.