No one likes needles, but most people appreciate life-saving blood transfusions.

Although the constancy can be numbing, the need for blood donors never goes away. The American Red Cross reported that most cities need a seven-day supply of blood. Now, however, parts of the country have less than a one-day supply, according to www.redcross.org.

A city the size of Abilene needs 100 units of blood donated each day to meet the demand, according to the Meek Blood Center of Abilene. With a population of about 120,000, Abilene shouldn’t have a problem meeting that need.

However, less than 5 percent of people eligible to donate blood actually donate each year, according to www.meekbloodcenter.org. That number seems even smaller when compared to the 72 percent of Americans who will accept a blood transfusion before the age of 70.

The average total time to donate blood is 30 minutes and the body replenishes the fluid lost from a blood donation within 24 hours. Thirty minutes every eight weeks is a small price to pay for a life, especially when it could be the donor’s own.

The Meek Blood Center is at 1150 N. 18th St. For information, call the center at 670-2805.