Give the gift of life this year

JACKSON, TN (WNBJ)-

Christmas is the season of giving and this year Lifeline blood services is urging people to give the gift of life.

“I cannot think of an easier way to help people in a shorter amount of time and with no fiscal cost to you," said Caitlin Roach of Lifeline. She believes that giving blood is the easiest and best way to help others,

“You are probably bought out, here it is Christmas, and you want to do something good for someone, this is what you can, you will be in and out of here in less than an hour and make such a critical impact in the life of a total stranger.”

Caitlin says that the blood bank supply has hit an all-time low and it is hard to get donors during the holidays,

“People are out of town, they are busy, it’s just not as much of a priority and that has implications on us.”

When people don’t donate blood, it is difficult to meet the needs of patients in the West Tennessee area.

“We don’t know when we’re going to need blood, you know car accidents, fires, childbirth, surgeries, there are all kinds of things and a lot of them aren’t things you can predict… there’s no substitute for it, blood cannot be manufactured, blood has a shelf life of 42 days," Roach says.

Roach says one blood donation can say up to three lives.