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Red Cross Issues
Emergency Call for Blood and Platelet Donations to Address
Significant Shortage
The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for
blood and platelets, urging all eligible donors to give now
to replenish an extremely low summer blood supply.
Blood donations have fallen short of hospital needs for the
past few months, resulting in about 39,000 fewer donations
than what’s needed, as well as a significant draw down of
the overall Red Cross blood supply. In addition, the
Independence Day holiday may have caused many regular donors
to postpone donations due to vacation plans. A recent Red
Cross poll revealed that more than 75 percent of donors
surveyed indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them
occurring the weeks before and after July 4.
“Right now, blood products are being distributed to
hospitals faster than donations are coming in, which is why
we are making this emergency request for donations,” said
Christy Peters, External Communications Manager of the
Western Lake Erie Blood Services Region. “Donations are
urgently needed now to meet the needs of hospital patients
in the coming days and weeks. If you’ve thought about giving
blood and helping to save lives, now is the time to do it.
It’s the blood donations on the shelves that help save lives
when an emergency occurs.”
How to Help
To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free
Blood Donor App,
visit
redcrossblood.org
or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross is
extending hours at many donation sites to allow for more
donors to make an appointment to give. Donation appointments
and completion of a
RapidPass
online health history questionnaire are encouraged to avoid
longer wait times. Donors with all blood types are needed.
Those unable to give can still help by encouraging others to
give through a SleevesUp virtual blood drive at
redcrossblood.org/sleevesup,
giving of their time through volunteerism or making a
financial donation to support Red Cross humanitarian work
across the country and around the world.
Who Blood Donations Help
Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets
are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including
accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ
transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for
leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must
collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations
every day for patients at about 2,600 hospitals and
transfusion centers nationwide.
Because of generous donors, the Red Cross is able to provide
blood products to patients like 11-year-old Mae Rainey, who
needs regular blood transfusions as part of her treatment
for a blood disorder.
“I am very grateful for the opportunities that the Red Cross
has given us to get her to her healthiest state,” said Caleb
Rainey, Mae’s older brother.
Watch Mae’s story
to learn how blood donations can make a lifesaving
difference.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities
Ohio
Lucas
Toledo
7/6/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., 911 Training Center, 2127
Jefferson Avenue
7/6/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/7/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/8/2016: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/9/2016: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/11/2016: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
Maumee
7/12/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Maumee American Legion, 204
Illinois Ave.
Toledo
7/12/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/13/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/14/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
Holland
7/15/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., 102.3 Proclaim FM, 7112 Angola
Road
Sylvania
7/15/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., McCord Road Christian Church,
4765 McCord Road
Toledo
7/15/2016: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
Sylvania
7/16/2016: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Sylvania Senior Center, 7140
Sylvania Ave.
Toledo
7/16/2016: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/18/2016: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/18/2016: 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Toledo Hospital, 2142 N.
Cove Blvd
7/19/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/20/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
Maumee
7/21/2016: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., Professional Skills Institute,
1505 Holland Rd.
Oregon
7/21/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Hope Community Church, 5650
Starr Ave.
Toledo
7/21/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation
Center, 3510 Executive Parkway
7/22/2016: 7 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/23/2016: 7 a.m. - 2 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
7/25/2016: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Toledo Blood Donation Center,
3510 Executive Parkway
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