When disaster strikes, many Americans come to the aid of those in need. Within 24 hours after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, for example, a half-million people had flocked to blood donation centers. But Ira Riklis notes that at other, quieter times, few people find time to donate blood, even though 43,000 pints of blood are needed everyday to treat patients with injuries, surgeries and illnesses ranging from cancer, to anemia to leukemia. Yet just fivepercent of us ever get around to making that life-saving gift even once a year.
Giving blood is something not everyone can do. Stringent health regulations mean that less than forty percent of adults are eligible to donate their blood. But that makes it all the more important for those of us who are eligible to make it a point to donate regularly. That’s why, for nearly fifteen years now, Ira Riklis has been donating blood to local blood centers several times a year. He urges all who read this blog entry to join him in helping to save the lives of others.