Holiday Blood Donors Can Win Restaurant and Gift Certificates, Other Prizes from Stanford Blood Center

December, 2009
Attention News Desk: Press Release (for immediate release)
MEDIA CONTACT:
Michele Hyndman (650) 723-8237
mhyndman@stanford.edu

STANFORD, Calif. — The Stanford Blood Center has a slate of holiday promotions to entice donors to give during a time of year when there’s often a shortfall in blood supplies. Currently, the blood center is below its minimum inventory in five out of eight blood types, particularly types O-negative and B-negative.

“During the holidays, blood supplies run short. Please make a donation so others may share the season’s spirit,” said Michele Hyndman, center spokesperson. “Give the gift of life and hope. It’s in your blood.”

During the center’s “It’s a fare deal” promotion, every person who donates Dec. 26-31 (with the exception of Dec. 27) can enter a drawing for a gift certificate at a top local restaurant. There will be a prize drawing for a $100 gift certificate at each of the center’s three locations in Palo Alto and Mountain View, according to the following schedule:

• Dec. 26 and 28, Trader Vic’s, Palo Alto
• Dec. 29, Mantra, Palo Alto
• Dec. 30, Kan Zeman, Palo Alto
• Dec. 31, Sundance, Palo Alto; The Cantankerous Fish, Mountain View; and First Crush, San Francisco

The winners will be drawn the first week of January and the certificates will be mailed to the recipients. Other giveaways to help the center get through the holiday slump include:

• Discount coupons for the Sports Basement that expire Dec. 31
• Greeting cards featuring children’s artwork
• AMC movie tickets

More information about the specific dates, locations and details for each promotion are available online at https://bloodcenter-stg.stanford.edu.

The blood center is also offering a health and wellness event Jan. 7 from noon to 7:30 p.m. called “Get in the Habit” at the Palo Alto location at 3373 Hillview Ave. Team In Training, a charity sports-training program, will be on hand to showcase the organization’s opportunities to help people get in shape and raise funds to defeat blood cancers at the same time. Attendees will also enjoy health and fitness demonstrations and free healthy cuisine. The event will also include prize drawings for an annual membership to the YMCA and a two-hour consultation with Lift Your Spirits Home Transformations. Donors and non-donors are welcome to attend.

Stanford Blood Center has three locations in Palo Alto and Mountain View, and holds blood drives throughout the Bay Area daily. The blood center serves patients at Stanford Hospital & Clinics, Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, Palo Alto Medical Foundation Clinic, El Camino Hospital, El Camino Los Gatos Hospital, the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System, the Livermore Veterans Affairs Hospital, O’Connor Hospital and three freestanding local surgery centers.

Donors can call (650) 723-7831 or toll-free (888) 723-7831 to make an appointment and get directions. Donors should be in good health with no cold or flu symptoms. They must eat well prior to donation, drink fluids and present photo identification at the time of donation. The process takes about an hour. For more information or to schedule an appointment online, please visit https://bloodcenter-stg.stanford.edu.

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The Stanford University School of Medicine consistently ranks among the nation’s top 10 medical schools, integrating research, medical education, patient care and community service. For more news about the school, please visit http://mednews.stanford.edu. The medical school is part of Stanford Medicine, which includes Stanford Hospital & Clinics and Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital. For information about all three, please visit http://stanfordmedicine.org/about/news.html.