Red Cross needs blood

Local, National, Virginia 1 Minute

The American Red Cross is asking for blood donations. All blood types are needed.

In May and June, while demand for blood products remained steady, donations were at the lowest level the Red Cross has seen during this timeframe in over a dozen years. Because of that, the Red Cross needs blood donors now more than ever. All types are needed, but especially O negative, which can be used to treat any patient.

The Red Cross has responded to more than 40 major disasters across more than 30 states over the past three months.

“This has been an especially busy year for the Red Cross, as we’ve given help and hope to people affected by deadly tornadoes, floods, wildfires and other storms,” said Shaun Gilmore, President, Red Cross Biomedical Services. “But there’s another, more personal, kind of disaster that can happen to any of us at any time if we need blood and it’s not available.”

I used to be a regular blood donor and then switched to apheresis donations. But I’ve done neither in the last few years. Time to get back on track. I’m going to schedule a donation for next week. How about you?

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5 thoughts on “Red Cross needs blood”

  1. I’m still forced to the sidelines through this month. Last time I tried to donate, they screwed up the insertion, then told me that even though I hadn’t actually donated, they still won’t let me donate until the full post-donation blackout period has passed. Well played, Red Cross.

    1. They did that to me once, too. They got the blood, but blood pooled in my arm and looked like a huge bruise for two weeks. Most times they’ve been very good though, and fed me lots of donuts and OJ so I wouldn’t pass out from low blood pressure.

    2. I never had that problem. I have been turned down on a number of occasions for things like my temperature being too high (don’t smoke a cigarette before you donate 🙂 ), my protein (I think – it’s been a while) being too low, and too recent a tattoo. But I’m good now. Just gotta find time to get over there.

  2. They don’t like me. I have a blood pressure condition that requires that I eat all of their doughnut and drink all of their orange juice and lie on a cot for a few hours.

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