Media contact:
Red Cross:
Christine Welch, 909-374-0376
christine.welch@redcross.org
@SoCal_RedCross
SAN DIEGO (January 31, 2022) —Kyle Kraska, Heroes Helping Heroes 4Life (H3), Jersey Mike’s Subs, and Town and Country Resort Mission Valley invite San Diegans to be a hero at the 4th annual Celebration of Heroes Blood Drive with the American Red Cross. The blood drive will be held on Monday, February 14, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Town and Country Resort Mission Valley, 500 Hotel Circle North.
For the fourth consecutive year, Kyle Kraska’s Celebration of Heroes Blood Drive will honor first responders and blood donors who help save lives every day while helping ensure hospital patients have the blood products needed.
Kyle Kraska, San Diego resident and broadcast sports director, nearly died seven years ago after being shot six times as he was leaving for work. He was rushed to La Jolla’s Scripps Memorial Hospital where he was treated for numerous traumatic injuries including a perforated liver and a collapsed lung. Kraska coded twice on the operating table and required multiple transfusions of blood products. Days later, he woke up from a coma and with the help of doctors, nurses and blood donors was able to return home and to his life. In an effort to thank the doctors and nurses who saved his life along with the anonymous blood donors, Kraska established KK's Heroes and the Celebration of Heroes Blood Drives. Over the last four years, 1,563 blood donations have been collected through the Kyle Kraska’s Celebration of Heroes Blood Drives, helping thousands of hospital patients.
This year’s blood drive comes at a time when the Red Cross is facing a national blood crisis – its worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Eligible donors in the community can he a hero to help hospital patients by rolling up a sleeve to donate blood.
As a thank-you, those who come to give blood will receive a Red Cross T-shirt, a coupon for a free sub sandwich, courtesy of Jersey Mike’s Subs, and a $10 Amazon.com Gift Card* via email, thanks to our partners at Amazon. *Terms apply. Visit rcblood.org/together.
How to help
Healthy individuals who are feeling well are asked to make an appointment to donate in the days and weeks to come by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device and use sponsor code KKsHeroes.
Blood drive safety
Each Red Cross blood drive and donation center follows the highest standards of safety and infection control, and additional precautions – including face masks for donors and staff, regardless of vaccination status – have been implemented to help protect the health of all those in attendance. Donors are asked to schedule an appointment prior to arriving at the drive.
Save time during donation
Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.
About Heroes Helping Heroes 4 Life (H3)
Mark George, a former USS Midway sailor and San Diego City Firefighter and Deputy Fire Marshal founded Heroes Helping Heroes 4 Life, a 501(c)3 that helps veterans and first responders. H3 regularly hosts blood drives to honor community heroes and collect critically needed blood donations for hospital patients.
About the American Red Cross Southern California Region
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid, and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the public to perform its mission. The Red Cross Southern California Region proudly serves San Diego, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino and Imperial Counties. In addition to carrying out disaster preparedness and response programs, blood collection, health and safety training, international services programs and supporting the military community, the Southern California Region provides nutritional counseling through its Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program in San Diego and helps communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters through its Prepare SoCal and Prepare San Diego initiatives. For more information, please visit redcross.org/SoCal or cruzrojaamericana.org, or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube.
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