Red Cross Needs Blood, Platelet Donations to Handle Shortage

The need for blood is constant and only volunteer donors can fulfill that need for patients in our community.

“Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in, which is why we are making this emergency request for donations”, Nick Gehrig, communications director for Red Cross Blood Services, said in a statement.

Over the Fourth of July weekend, the Red Cross had a tough time collecting enough blood donations.

Williams has been in Tucson for a couple of months in and out of the hospital receiving blood and platelets.

During summer, the American Red Cross doesn’t have as many places or people to donate blood, so it creates a shortage. “So if you’re in that window make an appointment”.

She said prospective donors must be 17 years old – or 16 with parental consent – weigh at least 110 pounds and be in generally good health. The need for blood doesn’t decrease though – every two seconds, someone in the US requires blood or platelets.

A recent Red Cross poll revealed more than 75 percent of donors surveyed indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them occurring the weeks before and after July 4. Officials with the organization are encouraging everyone eligible to donate blood.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days and double red cells, every 112 days.

On average, the Red Cross must collect 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.