During Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September, nonprofit blood provider Vitalant is highlighting the need for blood donors to meet all patients’ needs, including those with sickle cell disease.

To manage symptoms, people living with sickle cell disease often need transfusions throughout their lifetime. Frequent transfusions can cause patients to develop antibodies and, as a result, they can need more closely matched blood than the basic blood groups of A, B, AB or O, said a news release from Vitalant.

There will be a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 3, at the Butler Eagle office, 514 W. Wayne St. in Butler; one from 2 to 7 p.m. Sept. 9 at 100 Adams Ridge Blvd. in Mars; one from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sept. 11 at 105 Burgess Drive in Zelienople; and one from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 14 at 2040 New Castle Road in Muddy Creek Township.

To register to donate at a drive, visit Vitalant.org.