FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Frank Burns D-Cambria/Somerset www.pahouse.com/Burns

Burns, Wozniak to co-host blood drives

JOHNSTOWN, Feb. 4 – State Rep. Frank Burns and state Sen. John Wozniak will host three blood drives in the greater Johnstown area throughout February.  

· 1 p.m.  to 7 p.m. Feb. 18 at Laurel View Village, 2000 Cambridge Drive in Davidsville

· Noon to 6 p.m. Feb. 19 at Lakeside Community Church of the Nazarene, 1006 Rowena Drive in Ebensburg

· 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. Feb. 25. At the Windber VFW, 1420 Graham Avenue in Windber

The legislators said people shouldn't wait until someone they know needs a transfusion to donate blood because every day is an emergency for someone.

"Every two seconds, someone in our country needs a blood transfusion," said Burns, D-Cambria/Somerset. "These patients include those fighting cancer or leukemia, needing cardiac care and other surgeries, premature babies, trauma patients, sickle cell patients and many others."

"The single most important thing to keep in mind is that blood has to be available, on the shelves, when and where it’s needed in anticipation of patient need," Wozniak said. "It can take as many as three days for one voluntary unit of blood to be tested, processed and placed on the shelf of a local blood bank and some patients don't have that time."

Residents interested in donating blood can visit www.redcrossblood.org/donating-blood for eligibility information.

To schedule an appointment to donate at one of the blood drives, people can call Burns' Ebensburg office at 814-472-8021.

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