— Have you or someone you love been personally impacted by breast cancer?
— Do you an active social network presence that could be mobilized for GOOD?
— Are you willing to either PARTICIPATE in or START a Virtual Blood Drive campaign that makes it easier and faster to DONATE BLOOD to get life-saving blood platelets to those fighting breast cancer?

IF SO JOIN US through #SleevesUpForBreastCancer.

THERE ARE TWO WAYS TO HELP:

1. Be a PARTICIPANT in our Popular Genius #SleevesUpForBreastCancer virtual blood drive campaign by following links below to book a blood donation appointment at a Red Cross location near you!

2. Be a CAMPAIGN STARTER by visiting http://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org to begin your own #SleevesUpForBreastCancer virtual blood drive campaign — and ask your networks to participate!

THANK YOU FOR GETTING INVOLVED.

Together we can make a difference by rolling our #SleevesUpForBreastCancer!!!!!

——————–

DID YOU KNOW?

Blood platelet donations are lifesaving for breast cancer patients.

Platelets are tiny but important cells in your blood that help your body control bleeding.  While breast cancer patients undergo treatment, a major side effect is low platelet count (thrombocytopenia).  A transfusion of platelets not only helps cancer patients with clotting, but it also provides the energy and strength to keep fighting.

Low platelet count is a common side effect of chemotherapy. Patients may have to wait until platelet levels go up in order to continue with chemotherapy or to have surgery.
More than 70% of platelets are used in cancer treatments.

Platelets can be safely donated every seven days, up to 24 times a year.

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for blood and platelets, urging all eligible donors to give now to replenish an extremely low summer blood supply.

Every 30 seconds someone in the U.S. needs platelets.
Platelets must be transfused within five days of donation.
Platelets cannot be manufactured – they can only come from volunteer donors.
An estimated 38% of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood at any given time.
Of that eligible population, less than 10% actually donate each year.

To mobilize more people to donate more often, Red Cross created SleevesUp.

SleevesUp is a virtual blood drive campaign that can be created online at http://sleevesup.redcrossblood.org in just a few minutes. The campaign creator follows three steps to personalize their SleevesUp challenge and share it with their networks using a custom campaign URL, Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.  Your networks can pledge their support immediately by making an appointment to donate blood or platelets at a donation center convenient for them.  Goals for participation in a campaign are set, tracked and promoted by the campaign starter.  The Red Cross SleevesUp team provides content support to encourage others to start campaigns of their own.