Join NEWS102.3 & AM740 KRMG, and the Oklahoma Blood Institute as we partner with the Gold4Kids Cancer Foundation of Tulsa. We want to raise blood and we want you to come participate in a walk and a 5K with all of us!

Click here for more information on making appointments and registration for the walk and the 5K.

• WHAT: Gold4Kids Walk, 5K and Blood Drive supporting Gold4Kids Cancer Foundation of Tulsa
• WHEN:
• Saturday, September 8th
• 7:30AM – race registration
• o 8:30AM – 5K begins
• o 10:45AM – Walk begins
• o 10AM-1PM – Blood Drive
• WHERE: River West Festival Park - 2100 S Jackson Ave, Tulsa, OK 74107

SPECIFICS: 

Each blood donor will receive a “BE THE GOOD” t-shirt o The local partnership between Oklahoma Blood Institute and Gold4Kids Cancer Foundation of Tulsa provides great value to those families in our community who have children battling cancer. As the local blood provider to ALL Children’s hospitals in our state, Oklahoma Blood Institute’s goal is to raise awareness of the importance of supporting your community’s local blood provider. Gold4Kids Cancer Foundation of Tulsa’s goal is to make sure funds raised for oncology support and cancer research will help benefit local organizations, such as The Children’s Hospital at Saint Francis.

Patient Story: 

Candin Hobbs, organizer of this year’s event, has a very person reason for being involved. o Her son 10-year-old son, Graem, is a cancer survivor and blood recipient. He was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Christmas Eve when he was just two years old. After three years of chemotherapy and numerous blood transfusions, Gream was able to call himself cancer free just before his sixth birthday. Today he loves reading, sports and playing with his little sister, Madelyn. He and his family are so grateful to the many blood donors who saved his life.

General Info: 

Donors can follow event updates on our Facebook page, Oklahoma Blood Institute Tulsa.

• Photo ID is required.

• To speed up the donation process, donors can complete their health history questions on our website, obi.org, by clicking on the, “Donor Express” link.

• Donors can visit obi.org or call 877-340-8777 to schedule an appointment.

• Since there’s no substitute for blood, the supply must constantly be renewed.

• We need about 1,200 donors a day to meet the needs of patients in our hospitals.

Oklahoma Blood Institute is the local blood provider supplying every drop of blood for patients in nearly 90% of the medical facilities across Oklahoma including Saint Francis Health System, and ALL Children’s, Veterans & Tribal Hospitals.

WHO:

All healthy adults are encouraged to give blood.

Age and weight criteria:

• 16 years old; ≥ 125 lbs. with parental consent

• 17 years old; ≥ 125 lbs.

• 18 years or older; ≥ 110 lbs.

Getting older does not make people ineligible to donate. People who feel well and can do normal day-to-day activities can probably donate. People can give blood every 56 days. How long does it take? • It doesn’t take long to make a life-changing difference for someone. Giving blood only takes about one hour.

Why give blood?

• Of those eligible to donate blood in the U.S., less than ten percent actually donate each year.

• Every two seconds someone needs blood. Each unit of blood donated can save the lives of up to three people.

• Although all blood types are needed, those with O-negative type blood are especially encouraged to donate. According to American Association of Blood Banks (AABB), those with O-neg blood type make up only nine percent of the national population; however, O-neg blood can be used by anyone in emergency need when a patient’s blood type has not yet been identified.Click here for more information on making appointments and registration for the walk and the 5K.

Click here for more information on making appointments and registration for the walk and the 5K.