According to the American Red Cross, winter is one of the most difficult times of year to collect enough blood products to meet patient needs. That’s because of, among other things, busy holiday schedules and bad weather often resulting in canceled blood drives. Furthermore, seasonal illnesses such as the flu force potential donors to forgo their blood donations.

“That’s just one of the reasons that National Blood Donor Month, which has taken place each January since 1970, is such an important observance. Donating blood saves many lives and improves health for many people. According to the World Health Organization, ‘blood is the most precious gift that anyone can give to another person — the gift of life. A decision to donate your blood can save a life, or even several if your blood is separated into its components — red cells, platelets and plasma’” (https://nationaltoday.com/national-blood-donor-month/).

If you are not able to donate blood, please join me in honoring those who can and do perform this valuable service to promote the life and health of others. Please go to https://nationaltoday.com/national-blood-donor-month/ to learn more.

Here are other dates and issues that seem important to me to commemorate. Remember that at any time, any one of us could join the ranks of those who are disabled, so it is important to protect our own health and to consider the health needs of others in addition to remembering important dates in our culture and history.

Blood Donor Month

Glaucoma Awareness Month

Mentoring Month

Thyroid Awareness Month

Walk Your Dog Month

January 9: Word Nerd Day

January 11: Clean Your Desk Day

January 11: Human Trafficking Awareness Day

January 18: Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday

January 18: Winnie the Pooh Day

January 21: Hugging Day

January 27: Holocaust Remembrance Day