Fourth Annual Charles Drew Blood Drive This Saturday at the Red Cross

On Saturday, June 18, the American Red Cross Portland Donor Center will host the Fourth Annual Charles Drew Blood Drive. Doctor Charles Drew, an African American blood specialist, surgeon, educator and scientist, was the first medical director of the first American Red Cross blood bank.

This important drive honors his legacy and helps strengthen our Portland community. The drive takes place at the American Red Cross Portland Donor Center at 3131 N. Vancouver Avenue (just blocks from Emanuel Hospital and African American Health Coalition) and runs from 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Each presenting donor will receive a free coffee mug from Colas Construction Inc.

Blood recipients are most likely to find compatible blood for transfusion from donors of the same ethnic background. This becomes particularly urgent for illnesses where multiple transfusions can cause difficult cross-matching, such as sickle-cell disease, a blood disorder carried by 1 in 12 African Americans. The Charles Drew Blood Drive strives to educate the community on the importance of African Americans donating blood and signing up for the Donate Life Northwest organ donor registry.

Also at the event will be Donate Life Northwest heart recipient Rosie Tabb. Rosie has worked as an American Red Cross donor recruiter and received blood transfusions during her heart transplant. Those who wish to speak to a Donate Life Northwest representative and who wish to sign up for the registry will have the opportunity at the blood drive.

Many sponsoring community groups will be attending this drive, as well as new Portland Development Commissioner Aneshka Dickson, local African American artist Ann Willoughby and local author and spoken word poet Anderson DuBoise III. The Charles Drew Blood Drive was initiated by Kaiser Permanente African American Professional Association, and includes several African American sororities and fraternities.

This event is only possible through the support of several community groups and businesses, including:. We thank all partnerships and give recognition to their promotion and recruitment efforts. Colas Construction Inc., Urban League of Portland Young Professionals, Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, SEI, The Links Inc., Electrical Workers Minority Caucus, Kappa Alpha Psi, Alpha Phi Alpha, Delta Sigma Theta, Alpha Kappa Alpha, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, Zeta Phi Beta, Kaiser Permanente African American Professional Association, and Donate Life Northwest.

For more information, please visit www.redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS.