Attendees of the Chicago Auto Show's Women's Day on Tuesday had
the opportunity to learn about Saturn's relationship with the
Foundation for America's Blood Centers and the Saturn National Donor
Day. Held on February 14, the event is one of America's largest annual
community-wide life saving donation drives; to date, Saturn retailers
and their blood bank partners have collected more than 226,000 units of
blood thanks to these events. Also, if consumers purchase the "It's
About Life" t-shirt from SaturnCollection.com, a portion will go to the
local blood bank partners. It's not too late for you to participate in one of these drives today!
Since
1998, Saturn retailers nationwide have held more than 1,900 community
donor drives, most on or near Valentine's Day, in conjunction with
local blood bank partners as part of Saturn National Donor Day. One of
America's largest annual community-wide one-day donor drives, the
campaign will celebrate its eleventh anniversary and nearly 2,000th
planned community donor drive aimed at raising awareness and
encouraging blood, marrow, organ and tissue donation.
"We are proud that Saturn
National Donor Day is our premier annual community service project and
that we continue to build on the idea that random acts of kindness
truly promote steps toward making the world a better place," notes Jill
Lajdziak, Saturn General Manager. "In 2008, a Saturn retailer
somewhere in America, in collaboration with its local blood bank
partner, will likely collect our 250,000th unit of blood since we
started in 1998, and we are optimistic that we will surpass our
12,000th potential marrow donor to the National Marrow Donor Program
Registry."
There are three key components to Saturn National Donor Day - each serves as a community call to action to help save lives.
- * Blood donation - Each day, approximately 39,000 units of blood are needed to save the lives of thousands of Americans. Every pint of donated blood is separated into its components and distributed to hospitals to help save the lives of up to three patients. One pint, three lives. Supplies are often critically low during the winter months when most Saturn community donor drives are held. To help donors locate Saturn drives, saturn.com will list the locations and dates of Saturn retailer blood collection sites.
- * Marrow donation - Saturn drives have helped add nearly 12,000 potential marrow donors to the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP) Registry, and to date, 24 potentially lifesaving marrow matches have occurred as a direct result of Saturn National Donor Day. Each year approximately 38,000 patients fighting leukemia and other diseases will turn to the NMDP Registry seeking a match from an anonymous donor
- * Organ, eye and tissue donation - Nearly 98,000 Americans are currently awaiting a lifesaving organ transplant. Sadly, an average of 18 patients die every day due to a shortage of donors. Saturn urges every American to commit to being a donor. Since the procedures for designating your donation decision vary from state to state, all Americans should visit the Donate Life America Web site, donatelife.net, to learn how to become an organ donor in their state.
Chris Klug, liver transplant
recipient and world-class Alpine snowboarder, is Saturn National Donor
Day's national spokesperson. Chris received his lifesaving transplant
in 2000, and in 2002, he won a Bronze Medal for the USA at the Olympic
Games in Salt Lake City. His remarkable story is testimony to the fact
that donation not only saves lives, but can enable a great quality of
life for those fortunate enough to receive a second chance thanks to
lifesaving donation.
"My life was saved thanks to the incredible
generosity of a donor family," says Klug. "What better way to
celebrate the spirit of the Valentine's Day season than to give the
gift of life? Come and join us."
By Brandy Schaffels
Contributing Editor
automotive advice for women
