American Red Cross issues emergency call for blood donors now

News release from the American Red Cross:

American Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Blood Donors Now
Blood and platelet donors of all types needed

The American Red Cross blood supply has reached emergency levels with 50,000 fewer donations than expected in June. This shortfall leaves the Red Cross with half the readily available blood products on hand now than this time last year.

The Red Cross is calling on all eligible blood donors – now more than ever – to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All blood types are needed, but especially O positive, O negative, B negative and A negative in order to meet patient demand this summer.

An unseasonably early start to spring may be a contributing factor to this year’s decrease in donations. Many regular donors got an early start on summer activities and aren’t taking time to give blood or platelets. In addition, this year’s mid-week Independence Day holiday has reduced the number of scheduled Red Cross blood drives. Many sponsors, especially businesses, are unable to host drives because employees are taking extended vacations.

Unfortunately, patients don’t get a holiday from needing blood products. The need is constant. Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion. Blood and platelets are needed for many different reasons, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery patients, organ transplant patients, premature babies – when there are complications during childbirth – and for patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.

“Every day, the Red Cross must collect more than 17,000 pints of blood for patients at more than 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. Of that, the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region must collect approximately 500 pints per day,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO of the American Red Cross Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region, serving northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio. “We need donors to make appointments in the coming days and weeks to help us ensure that all patient blood needs can be met. Each pint of whole blood can help save more than one life.”

“There is always the chance that a physician could postpone an elective surgery if the needed blood products aren’t readily available or, in a worst case scenario, have to forego a more serious procedure because of a shortage of blood.” Whitman added. “Our goal is to ensure that doesn’t happen.”

Call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license, or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

 

Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities

[list type=”red”]
[li]Thursday, June 28, from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at Coldwell Banker Roth Wehrly Graber in the Conference Room, located at 5503 Coventry Lane in Fort Wayne. Please call 341-0380, ext. 8121 or 459-4639 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Friday, June 29, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. at Fort Wayne Toyota, located at 5920 Illinois Road in Fort Wayne. Please call 436-4567 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[li]Saturday, June 30, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Concordia Lutheran Church in Centennial Hall, located at 4245 Lake Ave. in Fort Wayne. Please call 482-9815 to schedule your blood donation appointment.[/li]
[/list]

Fort Wayne Donor Center located at 1212 E. California Road in Fort Wayne, (across from the Memorial Coliseum)
Traditional whole blood or double red cell donation:

[list type=”red”]
[li]Monday and Tuesday: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m.[/li]
[li]Wednesday and Thursday: noon – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Friday and Saturday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.[/li]
[/list]

Platelet pheresis donation (call 1-800-589-8127 or 260-480-8299 to schedule a platelet donation):

[list type=”red”]
[li]Monday: 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Tuesday: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Wednesday: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Thursday: 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.[/li]
[li]Friday: 6:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.[/li]
[li]Saturday: 6:30 a.m. – noon[/li]
[li]Sunday: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m.[/li]
[/list]

Lutheran Hospital Donor Center located at 7900 W. Jefferson Blvd., Suite 107 in Fort Wayne (in the South Lobby of Lutheran Hospital)
Traditional whole blood or platelet pheresis donation (no platelet pheresis on Wednesdays): **

[list type=”red”]
[li]Monday through Wednesday: noon – 6 p.m.[/li]
[li]Thursday through Saturday: 6 a.m. – noon *[/li]
[li]2nd Thursday of the month: noon – 6 p.m.[/li]
[/list]

 

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies more than 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or join our blog at blog.redcross.org.

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