Dollar General gets involved in blood-clot education effort

GOODLETTSVILLE, Tenn. — Dollar General will benefit a nonprofit outreach program focused on blood clots, the discount store chain said.

Dollar General announced it would match the $2,000 donation that NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Brian Vickers made to Clot Connect. Vickers was diagnosed in early 2010 with blood clots that forced him to miss the remainder of the season and worked with University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill physicians and Clot Connect to make informed decisions on his healthcare.

"Dollar General's matching contribution will allow us to reach more people with life-saving and life-changing information," Clot Connect director Beth Waldron said. "We are also grateful for the support of our educational outreach from Brian Vickers, who is an inspiring advocate for clot awareness and Clot Connect."

About 600,000 Americans are affected by blood clots, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism each year, Dollar General noted.