Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board

The Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board with Heartland Blood Center is hosting a Blood Drive 

East Aurora High School

September 26^th, 2009

10:00a.m. – 2:00p.m. 

Please schedule your appointment on-line right now

http://iwebb.heartlandbc.org/pls/iwebb/adrv?pdz=75038&pdr=DRV2009264 

Contact Mary Garza 

cell:  630/688-2022

e-mail: bestgarza@hotmail.com 

Some facts: 

*        More than half of all Hispanics may carry what is known as the universal blood type, O negative, according to research by the University of Texas at Galveston.  

*        Less than 6% of Hispanics who are eligible to donate actually do. 

*        From Jan 09 thru Aug 09 Heartland Blood Centers reported 13% of the total number of blood donors who donated during that time have been Hispanic.  

*        45% of people in the U.S. have type O (+/-) blood.  Type O+ blood is the most common, most frequently used blood type. Type O- blood is the universal donor, since most anyone can accept it for a transfusion regardless of their blood type. These types are the first to run out during a blood shortage. 

*        Recipients of blood donations include trauma victims, diabetics, premature infants and cancer patients.

Why are Hispanic blood donors needed? 

*        57% of the Hispanic population has type O (+/-) blood.

*        Though compatibility is not based on race, genetically similar blood is best for those who need repeated or large volumes of blood transfusions for various diseases and conditions as well as emergency treatments and surgeries.

*        Blood that closely matches a patient’s ethnicity is less likely to be rejected by the patient and provides fewer risks for complications. 

Now that you have some facts, please click on the link to schedule an appointment.  This cause is so vitally important as it not only impacts our Latino families but as it extends through the entire Aurora Community.  Thank you so much for your generosity and commitment to blood donation.

Lockport native and U.S. Army Air Force Staff Sergeant Joe Belman will be honored by U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin’s office in a military medals award ceremony at the Joliet Junior College (JJC) Main Campus, 1215 Houbolt Road in Joliet on Sept. 9.

Belman, 85, a World War II veteran, never received certain medals he earned during 35 combat missions as a ball turret gunner for the 8th Air Force – 305th Bomb Group. Belman’s story was also recently recorded by the JJC Media Services Office as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. A segment of this video will be shown at the ceremony.

The ceremony, which is open to the public, begins in the Main Campus Fine Arts Theatre at 9:30 a.m. and is sponsored by the JJC Office of the President and the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs.

For more information, contact Sal Valadez at (815) 280-2829.