Community Corner

'Urgent Need' For Blood Donations Says Red Cross

Donations were down 10 percent in June.

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for blood and platelet donations, according to a statement issued Tuesday. 
As was the case last year, the Red Cross had a 10 percent drop in the number of donations in June which translates to 50,000 fewer donations than expected due to busy schedules and the summer vacations of college students who often are among the most frequent donors, it said. 
The Red Cross needs eligible donors of all blood types and particularly those with types O negative, B negative and A negative blood. Type O negative is the universal blood type and can be transfused to anyone who needs blood. Types A negative and B negative can be transfused to Rh positive or negative patients, it said.
Also needed are platelet donations Platelets are a key clotting component of blood and must be transfused within five days of donation. Often needed by cancer patients, it’s important to have a steady supply available.
Platelet donation involves drawing a quarter pint of blood from a donor at a time. The blood is sent through a cell-separating machine and then returned to the donor. 
To make a donation to give blood, call Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit the scheduling website to make an appointment or for more information.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here