Red Cross has urgent need for blood

News release from the American Red Cross:

Red Cross has urgent need for blood and platelet donations to prevent a winter shortage

(Jan. 11, 2016) — The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donations to prevent a shortage this winter. Busy holiday schedules in November and December contributed to about 1,700 fewer blood drives held across the country compared to the two previous months, which has resulted in about 50,000 fewer donations and reduced the blood supply. Donation appointments can be quickly and easily scheduled by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

“A decline in the blood supply after the winter holidays is not uncommon, but it can be replenished when generous volunteers roll up their sleeves to help save lives,” said Rodney Wilson, communications manager for the Red Cross Indiana-Ohio Blood Servies Region. “We encourage our generous donors who are eligible, as well as new donors, to make an appointment to give blood or platelets and help ensure blood products continue to be available for patients. Every two seconds a patient in the U.S. needs blood.”

January is National Blood Donor Month, which has been observed since 1970 with the goal of increasing blood donations during the winter – one of the most difficult times of year to collect enough blood and platelet donations to meet patient needs. In addition to winter bringing busy holiday schedules for many regular donors, severe winter weather can cancel blood drives, and seasonal illnesses, like the flu, may cause donors to be temporarily unable to give.

Blood and platelet donors of all blood types are urged to make an appointment to donate for patients like Pyper Young, now 7 years old. The chemotherapy that treated Pyper’s brain cancer also caused her to need emergency transfusions to increase her blood levels. The Red Cross must collect about 14,000 donations every day to meet the needs of patients like Pyper.

 

Upcoming Blood Donation Opportunities

Adams County

• 1/18/2016: 3:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Zion Lutheran Church, 1010 W. Monroe Street, Decatur
• 1/25/2016: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Lehman Park Pavilion, 667 Lehman St, Berne
• 2/1/2016: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Riverside Center, 231 East Monroe St

 

Allen County

• 1/11/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/11/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/11/2016: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Grabill Missionary Church, 13637 State St., Grabill
• 1/12/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/12/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/13/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/13/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/14/2016: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., International Business College, 5699 Coventry Lane, Fort Wayne
• 1/14/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/14/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/15/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/16/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/16/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/18/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/18/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/18/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 630 Lincoln Hwy. East, New Haven
• 1/19/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Edwin J Rousseau Centre, 1 East Main Street, Fort Wayne
• 1/19/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Citizens Square, 200 East Berry, Fort Wayne
• 1/19/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/19/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/20/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/20/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/21/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/21/2016: 8:30 a.m. – 11 a.m., MedTech College Fort Wayne, 7230 Engle Road Suite 200, Fort Wayne
• 1/21/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/21/2016: 1 p.m. – 3:30 p.m., Coliseum Campus, 3800 North Anthony Blvd, Fort Wayne
• 1/22/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/23/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/23/2016: 7:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m., St. Vincent de Paul, 1720 East Wallen Road, Fort Wayne
• 1/23/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
  1/25/2016: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Science Building, 2101 E Coliseum Blvd, Fort Wayne
• 1/25/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/25/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/25/2016: 3:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m., Cedarville Elementary School, 12225 Hardisty Road, Fort Wayne
• 1/26/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/26/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/27/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/27/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/28/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/28/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/29/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 1/30/2016: 7 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Holy Cross Lutheran Church, 3425 Crescent Avenue, Fort Wayne
• 1/30/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 1/30/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/1/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/1/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/1/2016: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Christian Community Center of Harlan, 12616 Spencerville Road, Harlan
• 2/2/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/2/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/3/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/3/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/4/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/4/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/5/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/6/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/6/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/8/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/8/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/9/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/9/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/10/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/10/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/11/2016: 11:45 a.m. – 2:15 p.m., Indiana Tech, 1600 E. Washington Blvd, Fort Wayne
• 2/11/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/11/2016: 1:15 p.m. – 5:15 p.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/11/2016: 4:15 p.m. – 7:15 p.m., UPSTAR/YPN, 3403 East Dupont Road, Fort Wayne
• 2/12/2016: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne
• 2/13/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m., Lutheran Hospital Blood Donation Center, 7900 W. Jefferson Suite 107, Fort Wayne
• 2/13/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Our Lady of Good Hope, 7215 St. Joe Rd., Fort Wayne
• 2/13/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Fort Wayne Blood Donation Center, 1212 E California Rd, Fort Wayne

 

DeKalb County

• 1/26/2016: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion Garrett, 515 W. 5th Ave, Garrett
• 2/2/2016: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., First United Methodist Church, 1203 East 7th St., Auburn

 

Huntington County

• 1/29/2016: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Parkview Huntington Hospital, 2001 Stults Rd, Huntington
• 2/1/2016: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Evangelical United Methodist Church, 1000 Flaxmill Rd., Huntington
• 2/3/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Huntington University, 2303 College Ave., Huntington
• 2/7/2016: 7:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m., SS Peter and Paul Catholic Church/School, 860 Cherry St, Huntington
• 2/11/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., Knight-Bergman Center, 132 S. Nancy St., Warren

 

Lagrange County

• 1/30/2016: 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 10275 E 550 S, Stroh
• 2/2/2016: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Farmstead Inn & Conference Center, 370 S. Van Buren St., Shipshewana
• 2/9/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., LaGrange First Church of God, 777 N. Detroit St., Lagrange

 

Noble County

• 1/12/2016: 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., North Side Elementary School, 302 E. Harding Street, Kendallville
• 1/18/2016: 11:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Lutheran Life Villages, 351 N. Allen Chapel Road, Kendallville
• 1/20/2016: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Hendrickson, 101 South Progress Drive West, Kendallville
• 1/25/2016: 2:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Grace Christian Church, 126 E. Mitchell Street, Kendallville

 

Steuben County

• 1/14/2016: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Hamilton United Methodist Church, 7780 South Wayne Street, Hamilton
• 1/28/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Trine University, 1 University Ave., Angola
• 2/3/2016: 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Sonlight Community Church, 455 N Gerald Lett Avenue, Angola
• 2/4/2016: 1 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Legion Post 423, 6215 S.R. 327, Orland
• 2/8/2016: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Anthony’s Catholic Church, 700 West Maumee Street, Angola

 

Wells County

• 2/8/2016: 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., First Presbyterian Church, 215 East Dustman Rd., Bluffton

 

Whitley County

• 2/3/2016: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Parkview Whitley Hospital, 1260 East State Road 205, Columbia City
• 2/3/2016: 12:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., South Whitley United Methodist Church, 6685 West SR 14, P O Box 386, South Whitley

 

How to donate blood
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 consent 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.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, from a home or work computer prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 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 visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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