MLK Blood and Bone Marrow Registry Drive Next Week

A blood and bone marrow donor registry drive is being held on Martin Luther King Day to drum up minority donors during the National Marrow Donor Program's "Be the Match" Registry.

Daniel Eberts, a spokesman for FBS, said every seven patients who enter a hospital need a blood transfusion, prompting the need for blood drives like this one. In addition, January is the month of highest blood usage in Tampa Bay.

"There are no artificial substitutes," he said, "which is why healthy people need to pay it forward."

Locally, 10 News and Bealls teamed up to sponsor the event on Jan. 16, which will place bloodmobiles from Florida Blood Services at the following Bealls stores in the area from noon until 6 p.m.:

• 15792 N. Dale Mabry Highway
• 3140 Tampa Road in Oldsmar

FBS and Blood Net USA Donor Centers will participate in a blood drive on the same day from 8 a.m. until 7 p.m. at the following locations:

• 15427 North Dale Mabry Highway
• 5301 E. Fletcher Avenue, east of I-275 and 53rd Street

All donors receive a free $5 off coupon to Bealls, a limited edition MLK T-shirt, and check ups of their blood pressure, pulse, temperature and iron count.

In addition, all donors will be entered into a drawing to win a 2012 Kia Soul.

Fore more information, or to find other FBS locations in your area, go to www.fbsblood.org or call 1-800-68-BLOOD (25663).