The American Red Cross is issuing an urgent call for blood donors after a sharp decline in scheduled appointments has raised concerns about the nation’s blood supply heading into the busy summer months.
According to the Red Cross, scheduled donations account for about 90 percent of all blood collected. Recent weeks have seen a significant drop in appointments, causing the blood supply to fall by several thousand units in just one week.
Josh Murray with the American Red Cross told KCNI/KBBN that the current supply is stable, but there’s concern about what could happen if appointment levels don’t improve.
“We’re looking ahead, looking at the next several weeks and our appointment levels are lower than we’re used to seeing at this point,” Murray said.
Summer is traditionally one of the most challenging times of the year for blood collection. School blood drives end for the season, many regular donors are traveling, and severe weather can disrupt collection efforts. At the same time, demand often increases because of crashes, outdoor injuries and other emergencies.
“People are traveling more, which means there’s more accidents on the road. There’s people out (doing) more outdoor activities, which can lead to more injuries,” Murray said. “Then just add on to there are still the regular things that we see all year round. People are still going through cancer treatments, having other surgeries where they need that blood available for them.”
The Red Cross says maintaining a strong blood supply is critical for trauma patients, surgery patients, new mothers and those receiving ongoing treatments for chronic illnesses. A single person seriously injured in a car accident can require as many as 100 units of blood.
Murray encouraged those who are eligible to consider making an appointment at an upcoming drive.
“It can take you an hour max from the time you walk in or the time you leave the donation itself,” Murray explained. “So if you can find that 45 minutes, an hour, that is a huge benefit, especially for those people who need the blood.”
The organization is also seeking additional blood drive hosts during the summer months as schools and colleges are no longer available to serve as collection sites. Churches, community organizations, businesses, and beyond can host a blood drive as long as they have the space necessary.
As an incentive, anyone who donates blood between June 1 and June 28 will receive a $15 e-gift card to a merchant of their choice and will be automatically entered for a chance to win one of two $7,500 gift cards.
Appointments can be scheduled by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS, or using the American Red Cross Blood Donor App. Area blood drives are added to the SandhillsExpress.com community calendar as well.
Listen to our full conversation with Josh Murray here:
