Media Contact:

Christine Welch, Regional Communications Director

christine.welch@redcross.org 

Health History Rooms Named for their Commitment to Blood Collections in the OC Community 

FULLERTON, Calif, March 22, 2024 — The American Red Cross Fullerton Blood, Platelet and Plasma Center is naming four Health History rooms to honor the commitment of Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, California Love Drop, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation and Wahoo’s Fish Taco for their humanitarian work in helping collect lifesaving blood products in Orange County.   

On March 22, representatives of these local business organizations and their leadership teams joined the Red Cross community for the unveiling of the Health History rooms named for their work in blood donation advocacy.   

“It is an honor to recognize Antis Roofing & Waterproofing, California Love Drop, Edwards Lifesciences Foundation and Wahoo’s Fish Taco for their leadership and commitment to hosting and supporting blood drives in our community,” said Becky Firey, Red Cross of Orange County Executive Director. “By opening their doors and volunteering their time, they made an impact for thousands of hospital patients facing medical emergencies and depending on lifesaving blood products.”   

The Red Cross Fullerton Blood Center is one of four Red Cross Blood Donation Centers in Orange County, and among 12 in Southern California collecting lifesaving blood products to meet the needs of 150 Southern California hospitals and the patients they serve. In the first year of operation at the center’s new Harbor Boulevard location more than 5,600 red cell units, 1,140 PowerRed units, 8,350 platelet units and 1,420 plasma units were collected to help patients undergoing surgeries, cancer treatments, chronic illnesses, and traumatic injuries.  

Business leadership recognized include:  

EDWARDS LIFESCIENCES FOUNDATION 

Edwards Lifesciences Foundation is a dedicated volunteer supporter of Red Cross blood services. Since 1985, Edwards has hosted quarterly blood drives at their campus in Irvine. In 2017, they increased their blood drive frequency from four to six times per year and added an hour to the duration of each drive.   

One of the most impactful volunteer opportunities at the Red Cross is blood donation, and Edwards has streamlined that process for all employees who wish to give. Since 2000, Edwards Lifesciences has held 116 blood drives and collected over 4,800 units of blood from Edwards Lifesciences Employees. These blood donations have the potential to impact thousands of patients through the three usable properties of blood: red blood cells, plasma, and platelets.   

ANTIS ROOFING & WATERPROOFING 

After Antis founder and CEO Charles Antis learned that thousands of blood drives were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Antis opened their facility’s doors and began holding two to three blood drives a month complete with meals, beverages and treats courtesy of California Love Drop. Since 2020, Antis Roofing & Waterproofing 119 blood drives have helped collect 2,842 donations to offer hope and healing for thousands of hospital patients including trauma and accident victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those undergoing treatment for cancer.   

CALIFORNIA LOVE DROP & WAHOO’S FISH TACO 

What started as a single delivery of 300 meals from Wahoo’s Fish Taco to Hoag Hospital in 2020, has turned into an astounding collaboration known as the California Love Drop. Since its founding, California Love Drop has delivered over 100,000 meals to frontline workers, first responders and those in need during the COVID-19 pandemic and years following including at Red Cross blood drives. This is all thanks to the humanitarian efforts of Wing Lam and his California Love Drop co-founders and partnering businesses. Wahoo’s Fish Taco has also donated in-kind meal vouchers for two decades as a thank-you to presenting blood donors for their gift of time.   

NEWLY NAMED BLOOD CENTER CALLS ON BLOOD DONORS 

The Red Cross works with hospitals around the clock to help meet the needs of patients. As blood products have a shelf life and cannot be manufactured, blood donations are constantly needed, especially type O and platelet donations. Type O is the most needed blood group by hospitals. Platelets are the clotting portion of blood, and nearly half of all platelet donations are given to patients undergoing cancer treatments. Because they must be transfused within five days of donation, platelet donors are needed to help meet the transfusion demand. 

WAYS TO DONATE BLOOD 
By making an appointment to give blood or platelets, donors can keep the national blood supply from falling to shortage levels. Schedule an appointment to give by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or enable the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device to make an appointment or for more information. Anyone who donates blood in February will receive a $20 Amazon gift card. 

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent were 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 the American Red Cross: 

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on social media.  

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