Community Blood Center Joins Sevendays, Calls For Public To Give Blood And Connect

Community Blood Center (CBC) is partnering with SevenDays Make a Ripple, Change the World, a weeklong event that promotes kindness and interfaith dialogue in the greater Kansas City area by inviting the public to take part in themed activities, April 10-16. Individuals are encouraged to "Make a Ripple, Change the World" by donating blood any day that week at any CBC donor centers or mobile blood drives using the Code SevenDays:

• Kansas City, MO - 4040 Main Street

• Overland Park, KS - 10568 Metcalf Ave.

• Blue Springs, MO - 1124 West 40 Highway

• Gladstone, MO - 7265 N. Oak Trafficway

• Topeka, KS - 6220 Southwest 29th Street

• St. Joseph, MO - 3122 Frederick Avenue

In addition, two special blood drives will be hosted during this week in coordination with SevenDays:

• April 11, 1-6 p.m.

KU Hillel on the Donor Bus

729 New Hampshire, Lawrence, KS

• April 12th, 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

Jewish Community Campus (Social Hall)

5801 W. 115th St., Overland Park, KS

Appointments for any of the drive locations may be made on line at www.safealifenow.org.

SevenDays 2018 continues the healing journey following the murders that took the lives of Dr. William Corporon, his grandson Reat Underwood and Teresa LaManno outside of Jewish facilities in April 2014. The three lost their lives at the hands of a convicted Neo-Nazi shooter. Determined to turn tragedy into triumph, family members and friends joined together to create something positive to overcome this senseless hate crime.

"SevenDays was created to allow each of us to 'make a ripple' to help our community and ourselves. We are happy to partner with Community Blood Center and educate the community on the reasons donating blood can positively affect so many people directly in our community," Mindy Corporon said.

"The message of SevenDays - helping to improve your community - is very much alive in the act of giving blood," said David Graham, CBC Executive Director. "Every day, people in our community need blood transfusions. That need can only be met by others who have generously donated. "

Last year, at total of 3,090 individuals registered to donate and a total of 3,186 units were collected during SevenDays! This year, SevenDays has set out to surpass this record collecting an additional 250 units for a total of more than 3,400 units of life-saving blood.

DAY FOUR-CONNECT of SevenDays (Friday, April 13) coincides with National Donate Life Blue & Green Day focusing on organ donation. On that day, in addition to blood donations, representatives from the Midwest Transplant Network will be on hand to register those who wish to become organ donors. https://www.donatelife.net/blue-green-day/

"May I remind everyone that blood is the same color inside every human, another aspect of us being more alike than we are different. At Reat's death, he was an organ donor. For those of us living we can CONNECT with our community by donating blood for the benefit of others," Mindy Corporon said.

FOR MEDIA: Tony Corporon, Dr. Corporon's son and Mindy's brother, and Dr. Jim LaManno, Terri LaManno's husband, will be donating blood side by side and available for interviews on Tuesday, April 10 at Noon at the Kansas City Donor Center, 4040 Main Street, Kansas City, MO.

More About Blood Donations:

If you cannot donate but still wish to participate in bringing crucial blood products to patients in need, please ask someone to donate for you or consider volunteering at a local blood drive.

Any company, community organization, place of worship, or individual may host a blood drive. Blood donors receive free mini-medical exams on site, assessing an individual's temperature, blood pressure, and hemoglobin. To donate, you must be at least 16-years of age (parental consent required for 16-year-olds), weigh a minimum of 110 pounds, and be in generally good health. In just 60 minutes, you can donate one pint of blood and Save a Life. Right Here, Right Now in your own community.

About Community Blood Center of Greater Kansas City (CBC)

Community Blood Center serves hospitals in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area, as well as eastern Kansas and western Missouri. CBC provides nearly 200,000 blood products per year to over 60 area hospitals - and relies on volunteer donors each day to meet the need for life-saving gifts of blood. CBC operates 365/24/7 to deliver safe, high-quality products to meet transfusion needs for routine care and emergencies.

More About SevenDays:

For more information on other SevenDays activities and events please visit: http://givesevendays.org. SevenDays is sponsored by the Faith Always Wins Foundation and LaManno-Hastings Family Foundation, in partnership with other community organizations.