March 28, 2024

Critical type O blood shortage:

Red Cross urgently needs donors Donors of all blood types are urged to give now and help restock blood supply

Posted

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% 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.

Local Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
Attleboro
2/8/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., Attleboro Moose Lodge, 241 Thacher Street

Dartmouth
1/21/2020: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Dartmouth Council on Aging, 628 Dartmouth Street
2/15/2020: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Minuteman Harley-Davidson, 799 State Road (Route 6)

Dighton
2/13/2020: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Bristol County Agricultural High School, 135 Center Street

Fairhaven
1/31/2020: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Southcoast Health-South Coast Business Center, 200 Mill Road
2/10/2020: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Harelick Dental Associates, 278 Alden Rd

Fall River
2/6/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Menard Chiropractic Health Center, Inc., 150 North Main Street
2/7/2020: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Southcoast Health - Charlton Memorial Hospital, 363 Highland Avenue

Mansfield
1/21/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Holiday Inn Mansfield, 31 Hampshire Street
1/28/2020: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Smith and Nephew, 130 Forbes Boulevard
2/12/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Mansfield Congregational Ch, 17 West Street

New Bedford
1/22/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Southcoast Health- St. Luke's- White Home, 101 Page St.
1/30/2020: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., The Oaks, 4525 Acushnet Ave

North Easton
1/23/2020: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Stonehill College/College Center, Route 123
2/11/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., Knights of Columbus Hall, 375 Foundry Street

Somerset
1/21/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., AmVets Hall Main Building, 659 Brayton Avenue

South Attleboro
2/8/2020: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., American Legion Post 312, 437 Newport Avenue (Route 123)

Swansea
1/29/2020: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., New Hope Christian Church, 1436 Grand Army of Republic Hwy

Taunton
1/24/2020: 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Morton Hospital/Main Building, 88 Washington Street
1/31/2020: 2 p.m. - 7 p.m., The Lafayette, 18 Lakeview Avenue

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.

About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here

Share!
Truly local news delivered to every home in town