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Become a regular blood donor this National Blood Donor Month

Posted at 3:30 PM, Jan 17, 2019
and last updated 2019-01-17 16:35:32-05

It's National Blood Donor Month, the perfect time to consider becoming a regular blood donor.

About once a month, you can find 67-year-old Charlotte Barnes snuggled up with a book inside Carter Bloodcare.

"I bring reading material, but most of the time I just visit with the workers here," Barnes said. "They're my friends now."

Over the last four decades, she's donated more than 27 gallons of blood.

"It's just something I can do, so I do it," Barnes said. "If I've been blessed with good health the least I could do is give blood. I think everyone in good health should."

After donating red blood cells for a few years, she switched over to donating platelets, the tiny cell fragments carried in your blood that help your body form clots to stop a bleed.

"They can help about eight different patients on one platelet donation and I decided if they're going to stick a needle in my arm, they're going to get as much bang for their buck as they can get," Barnes said.

A platelet donation helped keep her husband alive when he got sick a few years ago.

His platelet count was dangerously low when he needed to go through a procedure that required an incision. 

"I was so worried about him," Barnes said. "It kind of reinforces the fact that if you can, you should."

Vickie Carpenter is the manager of recruitment operations at Carter Bloodcare. She said they're lucky to have Barnes.

"Charlotte is the ultimate donor because we see her regularly," Carpenter said. "Blood can't be manufactured, so it's not like they can go to a plant and we can buy blood from somewhere. It literally takes donors and our community to come together in order to save lives."

Carpenter added that Barnes' donation is helping to restock shelves after the holiday season when donations are usually slow.

"More and more people are people disqualified due to medical reasons, so if you're eligible, just celebrate that fact and do it," Barnes said.

Donations made at Carter Bloodcare are sent to more than a dozen hospitals throughout Central Texas.

Central Texas News Now will host a blood drive on Jan. 31 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Donors will receive a Dallas Mavericks shirt and a BOGO ticket voucher.

For more information on Carter Bloodcare, click here

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