To highlight the urgent need for blood donation, Coachella Valley hospital leadership is teaming up to “Blead By Example.”
Michele Finney, Desert Care Network CEO and Ken Wheat, Eisenhower Health COO, are donating blood together at 2:15 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 25, at LifeStream’s Rancho Mirage Donor Center, 42390 Bob Hope Drive, Suite 1B.
“The ongoing critical blood shortage continues to impact hospitals and patients in our community,” said Dr. Rick Axelrod, LifeStream President/CEO & Medical Director. “LifeStream is the exclusive blood provider for Desert Regional Medical Center in Palm Springs, Eisenhower Health in Rancho Mirage and JFK Memorial Hospital in Indio. Michele Finney and Ken Wheat understand what this unprecedented shortage means for patients at their hospitals. LifeStream is proud to have such dedicated partners and champions for community health in Michele and Ken. We hope their joint donations on Thursday encourage local blood donors to come out and give the gift of blood. Blood donation is essential to lifesaving surgeries needed daily at area hospitals.”
To fulfill patient need, LifeStream must collect at least 500 blood donations daily. LifeStream has fixed-site donor centers in Rancho Mirage, La Quinta, San Bernardino, Riverside, Ontario, Victorville, Murrieta, Placentia and Hemet and conducts mobile drives throughout its service area.
Appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are welcome at all LifeStream donor centers and mobile blood drives. Donors must be at least 15 years of age (15 and 16-year-olds require a signed parental consent form), weigh at least 115 pounds, present current photo ID and be in good health. For more information or to make an appointment, call 1-800-879-4484 or visit LStream.org.
