By PHILLIP GOMEZ
PVT

United Blood Services of Las Vegas is hoping that Pahrump will generously open its collective veins and donate blood Thursday in the first blood drive to be conducted at Desert View Regional Medical Center.

Technicians are scheduled to be ready to process donors for blood work beginning at 8:30 a.m., continuing until 1:30 p.m. in the hospital training room on the basement level.

Some 16 units of blood are needed, said Elizabeth Smith, in charge of donor recruitment. That means United Blood Services is looking to recruit about 30 volunteer donors for safe measure. Twelve people have already signed up, but 30 is the goal due to expected "no-shows" and a percentage of donors whose history disqualifies them for donation.

United Blood Services stores the collected blood units by different blood types for general use in emergency accidents, where blood has been lost, for transfusions in surgeries and for medical treatments such as chemotherapy.

A story in the July 5 PVT reported that fewer donors were giving blood in Pahrump for use by regional hospitals, especially during the high summer months when high school students are not available in school to make donations.

At the last blood drive in Pahrump, only 62 units were drawn, well short of the projected 97 units that were needed. Now, United Blood Services hopes to do better. The blood drive will mark the first time it will be conducted at the new hospital.

Persons wishing to make a blood donation should call Joyce Pinter at Desert View Regional Medical Center. Her number is 751-7557.