Cape Girardeau hospital earns Gold for blood drives | News

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (KFVS) - The American Red Cross has awarded Saint Francis Medical Center with a Gold level status in their Champions for Life campaign.

The Champions for Life initiative benefits the Red Cross in two ways: by increasing blood donations at hospital-sponsored blood drives and by recognizing hospital sponsors and blood donors for their generous efforts. To meet its top priority – providing safe, reliable blood products to patients in need – the Red Cross depends on partnerships with area hospitals, including Saint Francis Medical Center.

According to the Red Cross, Saint Francis’ staff and the public played an integral part in collecting 314 pints of blood through five blood drives in 2011. Because each pint has the potential to reach up to three people, nearly 950 patients may have benefited from their efforts.

“Saint Francis Medical Center not only provides excellent healthcare to our community, they go above and beyond and show true concern and support for area patients by hosting blood drives with the American Red Cross,” said Scott Caswell, CEO of the American Red Cross Missouri-Illinois Region. “This type of partnership is one which is greatly valued and needed to help meet patient demand for blood products – someone needs blood every two seconds. The American Red Cross is honored to partner with Saint Francis.

Saint Francis’ next blood drive is Wednesday, August 29, in the Franciscan Conference Room, at 211 Saint Francis Drive, Entrance 1.

Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to find more information on the need for blood donations or to schedule an appointment to donate blood.

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