What started as a simple invitation from a friend has turned into a remarkable lifetime gift for others for local resident Mona Hanson, who recently reached an incredible milestone — donating 109 pints of blood through the Red Cross.

Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group- Benton County You are not alone. This ongoing, drop-in support group is for individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide.

The Vinton Family Medical Clinic will be closed on Saturday, May 23, 2026.All Virginia Gay Hospital Family Medical Clinics - Vinton, Van Horne, Urbana, Atkins -  will be closed on Monday, May 25, 2026, in honor of Memorial Day.

LifeServe Blood Center is excited to announce that Blood Donor Day is back and bigger than ever! This year, we’re holding Blood Donor Days and extending the celebration of our blood donors to the entire month of June.

Virginia Gay Hospital will hold a blood drive on May 22, 2026, 11:45 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. See flyer below for details!Questions?Eligibility for blood donation with LifeServe Blood Center is determined by criteria established by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as well as other blood banking industry regulatory agencies.

Virginia Gay Hospital will hold a blood drive on May 22, 2026, 11:45 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. See flyer below for details!What month did President Richard Nixon declare National Blood Donor Month? January.

UnityPoint Health - St. Luke’s Health Care Foundation is accepting applications for its Rural Healthcare Grant through Mon., May 11 at 3 p.m. The grant provides matching funds towards health care services for rural residents living in Benton, Buchanan, Cedar, Delaware, Iowa, northern Johnson, Jones and Linn counties.

Donate Blood - May 22, 2026 11:45 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. at the Virginia Gay Hospital-Clinic Conference Room - 502 N 9th Ave, Vinton, IASee flyer below for details!Fun Facts about Donating Blood!In the United States, blood products that are transfused to hospital patients must be from an unpaid volunteer blood donor!HOW MUCH DOES YOUR DONATION HELP?A single hospital patient can require a large amount of blood in a single situationCancer patients: Up to eight platelet units per weekBurn victims: Up to 20 plasma unitsAutomobile accidents: Up to 50 red blood cell unitsHeart surgery: Up to six red blood cell units + six platelet unitsOrgan transplants: Up to 25 plasma units + 30 platelet units + 40 red blood cell unitsPremature infants: Up to five units of red blood cellDID YOU KNOW?One pint of whole blood - the most common form of donation - can save up to three lives! â€¢ Someone needs blood every two seconds.

In this edition of the May 2026 Words on Wellness newsletter, you can find the following topics.The MIND Diet: Eating to Keep Your Brain HealthyRecipe for Broiled SalmonQuick ThawStretching for Health: Easy Exercises to Boost Flexibility For more information and upcoming health and human sciences events, check out our website!https://www.

By Robin OpsahlThe Iowa Senate sent Gov. Kim Reynolds’ “Make America Healthy Again” legislation to her desk Monday, a package that includes SNAP restrictions, over-the-counter ivermectin and several school health and nutrition policies.