GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Right now, someone somewhere is being rushed to the hospital in need of a blood transfusion. If there isn't any blood available, that hospital visit could be the last trip they'll ever take.
Somewhere else, a family struggling to make ends meet is looking for a way to pinch every last penny they can at a time when gas has become difficult to afford.
Versiti Blood Centers have come up with a solution to both problems. They're giving away 33 gas cards worth $100 apiece in each of the five states they serve: Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio and Wisconsin. All you have to do is attempt to donate blood between now and March 31.
"Whatever we can do to help our donors to thank them for rolling up their sleeves," said Dawn Kaiser, who serves as the Area Vice President for Versiti Blood Center of Michigan.
"What better way to do that than to provide a gas card to give them a little relief at the pump. You're going to give our hospitals some relief by supplying us with much-needed blood, and we're going to give you some relief at the pump."
According to Versiti, more than 10,000 patients each day rely on the generosity of blood donors to survive.
"It's very likely that you or a friend or family member will need blood in your lifetime," Kaiser said.
"There's so much gratitude from a patient who has received blood. We actually bring them in and have them tell their stories. We've brought them in to help them tell their stories to the staff and to our board. We've done videos, where people tell the donors who gave their blood to them, 'thank you.' It's such a meaningful gift."
Versiti Blood Center has four donor centers in West Michigan:
- Grand Rapids - 1036 Fuller Avenue NE
- Grandville - 3140 Wilson Avenue SW
- Portage - 524 East Milham Avenue
- St. Joseph - 2710 Cleveland Avenue
There are also dozens of mobile blood donations happening in every corner of 13 ON YOUR SIDE's viewing area between now and March 31. You can enter your zip code on Versiti Blood's website to find a mobile location near you.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.