Nervous about donating blood? Or maybe it’s your first time and you’re not exactly sure what to expect. Not to worry! Here are a few tips and tricks from the American Red Cross to make your donation experience a great one.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be healthy
• Must be 17 years or older, or 16 years old with parental consent
• Must weigh 110 lbs or more

Before

1. Hydrate. Drink at least an extra 16 oz of fluids prior to donating.
2. Iron. No, not your clothes. We mean sustaining a healthy level of iron in your diet by eating iron-rich foods such as red meat, spinach, or wheat products. Click here for an extensive list of iron-rich foods: http://www.redcrossblood.org/learn-about-blood/health-and-wellness/iron-rich-foods
3. Comfort. Avoid fussy tops and wear shirts with sleeves that are easy to roll up the day of your donation.
4. Medication. Be familiar with any prescription and/or over the counter medications in your system. Bring a list if necessary.
5. Identification. Don’t forget to bring your donor card, a driver’s license, or two other forms of identification with you to the blood drive.
6. Sleep. Lastly, make sure to get a good night’s sleep the night before.

After

1. Relax. Hang out for 10-15 minutes after donating before continuing with your daily activities.
2. Replenish. Enjoy the complimentary drinks and snacks provided afterwards to replenish your body from any fluids and/or nutrients you may have lost during the donation.
3. Rest. Avoid strenuous activity such as heavy lifting and/or exercise for the rest of the day.

We look forward to seeing you at the Saline Memorial Blood Drive on March 30th from 8:30am to 4:30pm in Conference Room 1. For more information, please call us at (501) 776-6000.

As we approach the last days of 2011, many of you will consider making end-of-year donations to various organizations. By making the decision to give locally, you play a substantial role in enhancing the quality of life within our community. As a non-profit organization, the Saline Memorial Health Foundation is dedicated to ensuring that we meet the health care needs for you, your family and our community. Here are just a few areas in which your contributions play a vital role:

The 16-bed SMH Hospice House in Bryant serves patients and their families dealing with life-threatening illnesses. Our compassionate team of nurses and physicians care for our patients physically, spiritually, and psychologically.

The first phase of renovating our Medical Surgical Floors and Labor and Delivery Unit rooms has begun. It is our goal to provide excellent care in a warm and inviting atmosphere for you and your loved ones in a comfortable environment. Pictured above is one of our finished rooms.

SMH Labor and Delivery offers the very best for expecting mothers and their babies. Through the renovation of our rooms, patients will experience an environment that is not only patient friendly but more accommodating to family and visitors.

We continue to enhance Emergency and Cardiovascular services by adding new equipment and technology. In 2011, our Emergency Department has served over 36,000 patients and our Ambulance team has responded to more than 9,000 calls. We’re proud to exceed national standards in treating both cardiac and stroke patients.

Lives have been saved and so many positively impacted through the enhancement and expansion of services at SMH. Your support ensures that we continue to provide the very best for our patients. There is no gift too small or large but most of all, our hope is you find this a cause and investment worth your contribution.

Matt Brumley
Director, Saline Memorial Health Foundation