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OTTUMWA, IOWA -- Have you saved a life lately?

Well you can save three at the 20^th annual Media Blood Drive in Ottumwa.

The Drive will be held on Thursday at the Bridge View Center in Ottumwa

KTVO and other Ottumwa media outlets have partnered with the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center to help replenish supplies from lower summertime donor rates.

The blood donated to Mississippi Valley isn’t being shipped across the country, rather it is staying here locally in Southeast Iowa.

“When you donate blood with Mississippi Valley you are helping people in your community. That that is maybe your neighbor or your best friend or somebody you never met, but you are making a difference with the people you see and know and run into everyday,” said Donor Resource Consultant Ashleigh Steele.

Steele said the demand for blood doesn’t stop with those who may suffer a traumatic injury such as a car crash

“Twenty percent of our blood products we collect are used to treat cancer patients. If someone is going through Chemotherapy, Chemo kills cancer cell, it also kills healthy cells. Someone’s body, when they are undergoing cancer treatment isn’t able to reproduce healthy cells at a fast enough rate,” Steele said.

So far, Steele says they have about 80 reservations for the Media Blood drive. However the goal is to shoot past that and help cover the gap.

“There is a constant need to replenish the blood supply. When you take into consideration donors can only give every 56 days (and we can only store blood for 42 days) there is a gap there obviously between 42 and 56 days. It is a constant rolling pursuit of stable inventory levels,” Steele said.

You can reserve your spot to donate blood by clicking here.