Red Cross Needs Type O Blood Donations ASAP

Blogger's Note: The following was provided by the American Red Cross.

The American Red Cross has extended its urgent call for donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets. With influenza escalating across the country and preventing some donors from giving, and winter weather threatening to cancel blood drives, the Red Cross now has a critical shortage of type O blood and urgently needs donors to restock the shelves.

O so needed

Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of type O blood available for patient emergencies and medical treatments. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. While just 7 percent of the U.S. population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reach for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type.

Help replenish the blood supply

Every day, the Red Cross must collect nearly 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,600 platelet donations for patients who rely on blood to survive. Shortfalls in donations can cause delays in essential medical care for patients like 12-year-old Dagan Hawkins.

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in November, Dagan has required platelet and blood transfusions during his cancer treatments. “There was a time when they needed to have blood products delivered from another hospital because they were unavailable there,” said Dustin Hawkins, Dagan’s father.

Donors of all blood types – especially types O positive and O negative – are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in Chester and Montgomery counties:

Exton

• 1/26/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Clarion at Exton, 815 N. Pottstown Pike
• 2/3/2020: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., West Chester School District, Administration Building, 782 Springdale Road

Phoenixville

• 2/2/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Phoenixville YMCA, 400 E. Pothouse Road
• 2/8/2020: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., St. Ann's Roman Catholic Church, 502 Main St.
• 2/13/2020: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Phoenixville Area Middle School, 1000 Purple Pride Parkway
• 2/14/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Schuylkill Elementary School, 290 S. Whitehorse Road

South Coventry

• 1/30/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Coventryville United Methodist Church, 1521 Old Ridge Road

West Vincent 

• 2/3/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., East Vincent Township Municipal Complex, 262 Ridge Road

Collegeville

• 1/31/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Ursinus College, Wismer Building, 601 E. Main St.
• 2/1/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Eleanor's Roman Catholic Church, 647 Locust St.

Oaks

• 2/7/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Dunkin,’ 108 Black Rock Road
• 2/10/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Hampton Inn & Suites, 100 Cresson Blvd.

Pottstown

• 2/3/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Comfort Inn, 99 Robinson St.
• 2/10/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Pottstown YMCA, 724 N. Adams St.

Royersford

• 1/27/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Parkhouse Nursing and Rehabilitation, 1600 Black Rock Road
• 2/8/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Dunkin,’ 800 Main St.

Schwenksville

• 1/31/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Heildelberg Church, 251 Perkiomen Ave.

Skippack

• 2/4/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Skippack Fire Company, 1230 Bridge Road

How to donate blood

All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. 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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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 and platelet donors can 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, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.