October 18 Blood Drive in Search of O Negative Donations

Bone and Joint Institute of Tennessee and Williamson Medical Center will host a blood drive with Blood Assurance, the sole provider of blood products for WMC, on Tuesday, October 18, 2022, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Donors are encouraged to sign up here via the Blood Assurance website for an appointment time, though walk-ins are welcome. 

The October 18 drive will be conducted in the Blood Assurance mobile unit in the parking lot of BJIT on the main campus of WMC, located at 3000 Edward Curd Lane in Franklin. To celebrate 50 years of service, Blood Assurance will gift participants a fall-inspired coffee mug (while supplies last).   

This month, Blood Assurance is experiencing a shortage of O negative blood due to a trauma incident requiring a significant amount of their usual supply. Although all blood type donations are helpful, the organization is calling all O negative donors to contact Blood Assurance at 800-962-0628, make an appointment online, or sign up for the upcoming blood drive.

Since 1972, Blood Assurance has supplied blood products to healthcare facilities across the Southeast. The nonprofit is committed to providing accessible ways for communities to give blood to support their lifesaving services. This October, Blood Assurance reminds people of the importance of blood donations to ensure quality medical care for all.

“We are proud to celebrate 50 years of work in the medical field and are grateful to BJIT and WMC for helping to make these drives possible,” said the nonprofit’s media relations coordinator, Max Winitz. “It is in times of critical need that our work is most important, and we cannot continue to meet the needs of our healthcare providers and patients without donations from the community.”

These blood drives are part of a partnership between WMC, BJIT and Blood Assurance to host 13 blood drives throughout 2022. To date, more than 139 individuals have donated blood in these drives, which, according to Blood Assurance, accounts for nearly 417 lives saved.

To be eligible to donate blood, you must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more and be in good health. Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids — avoiding caffeine — and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating.