Do something amazing! Donate blood!  Every two seconds, someone
in the United States needs blood and 4.5 million Americans will
need blood transfusions each year. Sadly, only 5 percent of the
eligible United States population donates blood in any given
year. Healthy donors are the only source of blood for the
supplies that are needed to save lives. Currently there is no
substitute. If all blood donors gave three times a year, blood
shortages would be a rare event!  Why is blood such an important
part of everyday life? Blood is the liquid that circulates
throughout the entire body, carrying nutrients to every cell and
at the same time carrying away waste products. Blood plays a
central role in the body's defenses. Through a network of miles
and miles of vessels, blood is pumped by the heart to every part
of the body. The average adult body contains about 10 pints of
blood. There are four main components of blood: red blood cells,
white blood cells, plasma and platelets. In addition, blood is
vitally important,