Red Cross: Emergency blood shortage may delay medical procedures

1-10-24      Wednesday News     11 P.M.    E-1

The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. The Red Cross blood supply has fallen to critically low levels across the country, and blood donors are urged to make a donation appointment to help alleviate the shortage and help ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not put on hold.

Over the last 20 years, the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40%. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations – such as the nearly 7,000-unit shortfall in blood donations the Red Cross experienced between Christmas and New Year’s Day alone – can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion. Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type O blood products – among the most transfused blood types – to hospitals.

Don’t wait – to make an appointment, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

The Red Cross and the National Football League (NFL) are partnering this January, during National Blood Donor Month, to urge individuals to give blood or platelets and help tackle the emergency blood shortage. Those who come to give blood, platelets or plasma in January will automatically be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. For details, visit RedCrossBlood.org/Super Bowl.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities during January in Marshall County include January 11^th at the Plymouth Fire Department from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. and January 26^th from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at Jefferson Elementary School on Klinger St.  

You can donate blood in Argos on January 29^th from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Argos High School and in Bremen on January 31^st from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. at St. Isidore Hall, on West Bike St.

The American Red Cross will host bloodmobiles in Fulton County on January 12^th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Talma Community Building, on State Road 25 and at the Fulton County Library on West 7^th Street in Rochester from 11:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

The Starke County bloodmobiles will be on January 26^th from 8:15 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. at the Knox Community High School or in North Judson on January 25 from 2 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Peter Lutheran Church, 810 W. Talmer Ave.