16 Wednesday, January 22, 2020 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon Giving the gift of life through blood and organ donations By Sue Stafford Correspondent Making a blood or platelet donation through the local American Red Cross in Bend is a simple, painless process that doesn¾t require a lot of time and costs nothing. And cookies and juice are available afterwards. As easy as it is to be a donor, for the recipient of that blood product, it can mean the difference between life and death. Right now the Red Cross supply of blood is depleted following the holidays, when fewer drives are held, and a steady supply of donors is necessary year-round.