Global Blood Fund

You have probably been ill before or been in an accident. Imagine yourself living in a place where if you needed a blood transfusion, if you were even able to receive a transfusion in the first place, the blood is probably infected with malaria, HIV, or hepatitis. This scenario is not from a movie, but it is the living reality for almost 300 million people every day in Africa.

In fact, 82% of the world’s population lives in underdeveloped countries. These countries have access to only 38% of the world’s blood supply. Each year, about 100,000 mothers who died giving birth could have been saved by a simple blood transfusion.

The Baptist General Convention of Oklahoma is partnering with the Oklahoma Blood Institute to bring hope to the people of Africa. You can save a life today!

Shipping blood or plasma to Africa is expensive and often the donated blood is ruined before it arrives. Since shipping blood is impractical, the Oklahoma Blood Institute has organized a new non-profit organization that will receive funds to purchase equipment so that clinics in Africa can collect and process their own blood.

By having their own blood clinic, physicians in Africa will also have the opportunity to discover people who may not know they are sick and offer them assistance much earlier than normal.

Donate blood through the Oklahoma Blood Institute and mention you are with PowerUP. The OBI will donate the cost of the T-shirt you would generally receive to the Global Blood Fund.

1. Your donated blood will be used to save lives here in Oklahoma.

2. The cost of the T-shirt you would normally receive for giving blood will be donated to the Global Blood Fund to save lives in Africa.

3. As funds are collected, the center will be able to build their own facilities in Africa.

4. To schedule a blood drive for your church, contact Judy Freeman, jfreeman@obi.org.
   
5. Go to www.globalbloodfund.org