DAYTON — Join the fight against cancer and help with the urgent need for all blood types by donating at the “Pink Out Blood Drive” Oct. 11-19 at the Solvita Dayton Center, 349 S. Main St.

Everyone who registers to donate will get a $15 Kroger gift card, the “Fight Cancer” October Breast Cancer Awareness Month t-shirt, and a pink carnation, and will be automatically entered in the drawing to win two tickets to the Ohio State vs. Michigan game on Nov. 30 in Columbus.

Walk-ins are welcome at the Solvita Dayton Center, or schedule your donation on the Donor Time app, by calling 937-461-3220, or at www.donortime.com.

Cancer and its treatment can damage blood cells causing many cancer patients to rely on regular blood and platelet transfusions to help them survive. One fourth of all blood donations in the U.S. goes to help cancer patients.

Power outages caused by remnants of Hurricane Helene canceled blood drives and disrupted blood collection. All blood types are in low supply, and blood usage remains high. Emergency care for a motorcycle accident victim and a gunshot wound victim reported on Oct. 4 at Miami Valley Hospital required 31 units of blood products, including 25 units of type O-positive blood.

“Cancer touches so many lives, and emergency use of blood happens at any time,” said Solvita Vice President for Donor Services Tracy Morgan. “We are calling on all eligible donors, lapsed donors, and first-time donors to support the ‘Pink Out Blood Drive’ and help us overcome this critical need for blood.”

Donors can save time while helping save lives by using “DonorXPress” to complete the donor questionnaire before arriving at a blood drive. Find DonorXPress on the Donor Time App or at www.solvita.org/donorxpress.