SCOTTSBLUFF, Neb., – Blood donation is a gift that doesn’t cost a thing, other than a little bit of your time, but it can literally save a person’s life.  During this holiday season, there’s no more selfless gift to give than the gift of blood or platelets.

West Nebraska Blood Center invites healthy adults to schedule an appointment to give donate blood and give the gift of life. Teenagers age 16 and above who have written parental consent can also donate.

“In order to save lives, blood must be on the shelf, ready for transfusion, said Blood Donor Center Medical Director Randall Williams, MD, FASCP.  “Forty percent of the U.S. population is eligible to give blood, yet only four percent of those eligible actually do so.”

To schedule a time to donate blood, call 308-630-2477.

West Nebraska Blood Donor Center is located next to the Park Bench Café, on the main floor of Regional West Medical Center. It is open Monday through Wednesday and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Regional West Health Services in Scottsbluff, Neb., is the parent company of Regional West Medical Center, a 188-bed regional referral center and one of three Level II Trauma Centers in the state. As the region’s only tertiary referral medical center, Regional West offers care that spans more than 32 medical specialties provided by over 28 physician clinics. With nearly 300 providers, and over 2,000 employees, Regional West provides comprehensive and innovative health care services for the people of western Nebraska and the neighboring states of Colorado, South Dakota, and Wyoming.