LifeStream Blood Bank is kicking off its annual drive aimed at helping the organization reach its blood collection goal during the summer which is typically the hardest season for blood donations.
LifeStream officially launched the 11th annual 9 Cities Challenge at the beginning of the month and it will run through the end of August, according to a news release.
"The 9 Cities Challenge is one of our favorite events of the year," Dr. Rick Axelrod, LifeStream president/CEO & medical director, said in the release. "Blood donors come out to support their cities and local patients in need. Every year, it's a showcase of dedication to the health of our community and great fun for everyone involved."
The challenge is a collective effort, uniting the Coachella Valley, with each city competing to make the highest number of blood donations, the release stated.
The participating cities in the challenge include Palm Springs, Palm Desert, Desert Hot Springs, Indio, La Quinta, Rancho Mirage, Coachella, Indian Wells, and Cathedral City.
According to the Greater Coachella Valley Chamber of Commerce, this year, each donor will be provided with a 9 Cities Challenge bucket hat as a token of appreciation, while supplies are available. The winner of the challenge will be the city with the most blood donations. However, apart from recognizing the city that gathers the highest number of pints, additional accolades will be presented for the city organizing the largest blood drive and the city exhibiting the highest resident participation rate per total population.
LifeStream is hoping the challenge will help it reach the goal of 1,500 pints, especially as summer is one of the hardest seasons for blood collection. "Every blood donation makes an impact," Dr. Axelrod said in the release. "Just one pint can save three lives. If we hit our collection goal, not only will it be a record-breaking number for the 9 Cities Challenge, but 1,500 pints will save over 4,500 lives."