The latest local news, weather and high school sports from the Heartland

KIRKSVILLE, MO. --  

March is Red Cross Month and this is a good time to think about donating blood.

Despite the large amounts of people across the Heartland who give blood there are still a few who have not, or who are scared to do so.

Some easy steps the Red Cross says you should do before giving blood are:

- You should get a good night's sleep

- Drink plenty of water

- Eat a well balanced meal

- Bring either your donor card, driver's license or two other forms of identification.

- We will need to know about any prescription and/or over the counter medications that may be in your system.

- Wear clothing with sleeves that can easily be rolled up above the elbow.

There are a few myths that sometimes stop people from giving blood, one being that it causes you to faint.

“It is possible that you can have a reaction after donating blood,” Dan Fox with the Red Cross said.

“In order to minimize those risks, we advise our donors to get something to eat beforehand. Make sure you have a balanced meal before donating and stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water and other fluids before you give that should minimize the risk of any reaction after donating.”

Upcoming blood donation opportunities:

Adair County

April 5 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Kirksville R-3 High School, 1300 S. Cottage Grove in Kirksville, Mo.

Lewis County

April 2 from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Culver Stockton College, 1 College Hill in Canton, Mo.

April 4 from 2-6 p.m. at Country Aire Retirement Estates, 18540 State Highway 16 in Lewistown, Mo.

Shelby County

April 1 from 2:30-7:30 p.m. at Heartland Christian Academy, 101 Nations Blvd. in Bethel, Mo.

You can view our entire interview with Fox by clicking HERE.

For more infromation on how to donate, or set up a blood drive click HERE.