March 6: Red Cross Encourages People with Tattoos to Donate Blood at "Blood & Ink" Blood Drive
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Red Cross Encourages People with Tattoos to Donate Blood at "Blood & Ink" Blood Drive, 3/6
On Saturday, March 6, members of the Gypsy Queens Oregon Chapter will donate blood at the "Blood & Ink" Blood Drive at the Portland Center Red Cross, located at 3131 N. Vancouver Avenue. The Gypsy Queens are part of a national organization of tattooed promotional models who strive to promote a positive image of women with ink and to end the negative stereotypes of heavily tattooed women. By donating blood at the Red Cross, the Gypsy Queens hope to support their mission while helping the Red Cross clear up common misconceptions about blood donation by people with tattoos.
"Many people think that you can't donate blood if you've recently received a tattoo," says Tara Trullinger, Red Cross communications specialist. "This isn't necessarily true; the rules for blood donation by people with tattoos vary state by state." People with tattoos can present to donate blood if their tattoo was applied by a state-regulated parlor using sterile needles and ink that has not been reused. Those who receive tattoos in a state that does not regulate tattoo parlors must wait 12 months after receiving the tattoo to present to donate blood.
Receiving a tattoo in Oregon—where tattoo parlors are regulated by the state—does not automatically defer someone from donating blood. The state of Washington, however, does not regulate tattoo parlors, and those who receive tattoos in Washington must wait one year after receiving their tattoo before presenting to donate blood again.
The Red Cross encourages others with tattoos to join the Gypsy Queens in donating blood at the Blood & Ink Blood Drive on Saturday, March 6, between 7:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. at the Portland Center Red Cross. All those who present to donate blood at this event can enter into a free drawing to win a $75 gift certificate to New Rose Tattoo in Portland (4823 SE Division Street). The gift certificate was generously donated by shop owner and tattoo artist Traci Manley.
To schedule a blood donation appointment at this drive, please call 1-800-RED CROSS. To make an appointment online and to learn more about blood donation, please visit www.redcrossblood.org. Blood donors in Oregon must be at least 16 years old (with a signed Red Cross parental consent form), be in general good health, and weigh at least 110 pounds. To find out if you are eligible to donate blood and to learn more about which states regulate tattoo parlors, please call 1-800-737-0902 or email CanIDonate@usa.redcross.org.
The Blood & Ink Blood Drive on March 6 is not limited to the tattoo community; as with every American Red Cross blood drive, all eligible donors are invited to donate blood. Donation appointments are strongly encouraged.
