Red Cross Issues Emergency Call for Donors

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency request for platelet and blood donors of all types, due to the fact that fewer donations than expected were received during June and in the first week of July.

Melanie McDonough, the Communications Director of the Red Cross, Heart of Carolina Region in Greensboro, says those with O negative, B negative and A negative blood are especially needed. There is a critical need for platelet donors as well.  Nationwide, donations through the Red Cross were down about 10 percent in June, which resulted in approximately 50,000 fewer donations than expected.  The shortfall is similar to what the organization experienced in June, 2012. 

The Red Cross says June is traditionally one of the most challenging months when it comes to blood donations, partially because college and high school blood drives account for as much as 20 percent of Red Cross donations during the school year.  When school is out for the summer, donations from those sources typically drop by more than 80 percent.  Further, a mid-week Independence Day holiday reduced the number of blood drives scheduled in early July. 

There's also an urgent need for platelet donations.  Platelets, a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, must be transfused within five days of donation.

The Nussbaum Blood Center is located at 1501 Yanceyville Street in Greensboro, and The Triad Blood Center is located beside the NWNC Chapter at 650 Coliseum Drive in Winston-Salem.

For hours at either location, click here.

For other locations, see the Red Cross website:  redcrossblood.org