16th annual Enid Community Challenge Blood Drive asks for blood donations

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ENID, Okla. — One blood donation can save three lives.

Cancer patients, newborns and trauma victims across the country require life saving blood transfusions every day.

But Oklahoma is struggling to fill the demand of 1,200 daily blood donations.

A local opportunity to give to the cause is approaching. The 16th Annual Enid Community Challenge Blood Drive, sponsored by Our Blood Institute (OBI) will be held at Stride Bank Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 25, 2023.

The blood drive challenges local civic organizations to compete for the most blood donations. Junior Welfare League, Enid AM Too AMBUCS, Enid Noon AMBUCS, Enid AM AMBUCS and North Enid Lions Club are participating in the challenge.

The event’s goal is for 100 people to sign in and for 80 people to donate. Those 80 donations can aid 240 patients.

Oklahoma is currently on red alert, meaning the blood types in highest demand are in low supply.

“We are under, I’d say, the day supply is four days right now,” Jillian Tebow, of OBI, said. “When we go into red alert we like to have like a four -to five-day supply constantly. So, we’re under a four-day supply.”

O negative and O positive are the two most common blood types, placing them at the top of the demand list for donations.

Anyone under the age of 18 must weigh 125 pounds to donate blood, and those over 18 must weigh at least 110 pounds. Tebow recommended those who plan on donating eat a full meal before donation, as donating costs each person 650 calories.

Food trucks will be on site and each donator will receive a free voucher for Chick-fil-A.

Tebow described the process of giving blood as simple. The process begins with a screening of one’s blood, which ensures a patient is healthy enough to donate blood. The screening takes approximately 25 minutes, and phlebotomy takes no more than 15 minutes.

The average adult has 10 pints of blood, and one pint of blood is usually taken during a donation.

Appointments, which are recommended but not required, can be made through Monday by midnight by calling OBI at (877) 340-8777, scanning the QR code attached in the flier or by going to https://www.obi.org/ and clicking on “Donate” in the upper righthand corner for an event search by ZIP code. Walk-ins are welcome.

Each donor will receive a vintage Life is Better T-shirt and their choice of free entry to Science Museum Oklahoma, Frontier City or Hurricane Harbor. The top three civic organizations will receive cash prizes.

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