Medical City Denton is hosting a blood drive Friday to replenish the blood supply for sickle cell anemia patients.
- When: Friday, June 28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Where: Professional Office Building, 3537 S. Interstate 35E in Denton
Signing up online or by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS is encouraged. Walk-ins are welcome depending on availability.
Donors must have proof of age to meet the minimum age requirements and present a primary form of ID or two secondary forms of ID. Individuals who are at least 17 years old, weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.
Donors of African or African American descent are especially needed to aid in treating the genetic blood disease, which requires a lifetime of frequent transfusions.
Sickle cell anemia disproportionately impacts people of African, Latin and Mediterranean descent, according to the American Red Cross.
The disease requires a lifetime of frequent transfusions to prevent complications. Due to the frequency, patients can develop an immune response against blood from donors unless that donor is closely matched to the recipient.
There are more than 600 known antigens — a substance on red blood cells that helps determine blood type — and some are unique to specific racial and ethnic groups. One in 3 African American blood donors is a match for a patient with sickle cell disease, according to the Red Cross.