This January, National Blood Donor Month, the American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood donors of all blood types to make an appointment to give now and help address a winter blood donation shortage.
Severe winter weather has had a tremendous impact on blood donations already this year, with more than 150 blood drives forced to cancel causing over 5,500 blood donations to go uncollected. This is in addition to seasonal illnesses, such as the flu, and hectic holiday schedules collectively contributing to more than 28,000 fewer donations than what was needed in November and December. “Even temporary disruptions to blood donations can diminish the availability for hospital patients,” said Clifford Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “It’s the blood on the shelves that helps save lives in an emergency, and that’s why we’re asking eligible individuals to make an appointment to give blood today.” While serving local hospitals is the first priority, the Red Cross can move blood products to where they’re needed most. This allows generous donors throughout the country to contribute to the national blood supply and potentially help patients locally and in storm-affected areas. While all blood types are urgently needed, there is a more critical need for the following blood and donation types right now:
How to help Eligible donors can find a blood donation opportunity and schedule an appointment to donate by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass are encouraged to help speed up the donation process. RapidPass lets donors complete the pre-donation reading and answer the health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, by visiting redcrossblood.org/rapidpass from the convenience of a mobile device or computer, or through the Blood Donor App. Who blood donations help Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood – a need that is all too real for Heather Hrouda and her family, of Columbus, Neb. Hrouda was 25 weeks pregnant with her fourth child when she began bleeding. An emergency cesarean section was performed, but Hrouda hemorrhaged during surgery. She received 14 units of blood and seven units of plasma before she and her newborn son, Rusher, were flown to a nearby hospital. There, she received additional transfusions, and Rusher was moved to the neonatal intensive care unit, where he also received a blood transfusion to increase his red blood cell count. “My family and I are so thankful for all the blood donors,” said Hrouda. “It is safe to say that without their time and donations, Rusher and I would not be here today. Because of donors, I get to watch my kids grow up and become the adults they dream of being.” The Hroudas are just two examples of the many patients who depend on blood donors. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all require blood to save their lives. The Red Cross must collect more than 13,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country. Upcoming blood donation opportunities Jan. 8-31 Antelope Orchard 1/9/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., St. Peters Lutheran Church, 202 Cherry St. _______________ Boone Albion 1/15/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Boone County Fairgrounds Casey Community Building, 100 W Fairview _______________ Butler David City 1/31/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., David City High School, 750 D Street _______________ Cuming West Point 1/10/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Valmont Coatings - West Point Galvanizing, 1700 South Beemer Street _______________ Dodge Fremont 1/13/2018: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Fremont Mall, 860 East 23rd Street 1/17/2018: 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Fremont Bergan High School, 545 E. 4th St 1/24/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., ATI Physical Therapy Fremont, 410 E 22nd Street 1/29/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Fremont City Auditorium, 925 N. Broad St 1/30/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Midland University Hopkins Arena, 900 N Clarkson 1/30/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Fremont City Auditorium, 925 N. Broad St 1/31/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Fremont High School, 1750 N. Lincoln Street Scribner 1/29/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Mohr Auditorium, Highway 275 _______________ Madison Madison 1/10/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., City Auditorium, 209 S Lincoln Norfolk 1/9/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 105 E. Norfolk Ave., Suite 400 1/11/2018: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Marathon Press, 1500 Square Turn Blvd, PO Box 407 1/15/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Lutheran High Northeast, 2010 N. 37th St 1/16/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 105 E. Norfolk Ave., Suite 400 1/17/2018: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Norfolk NE YMCA, Norfolk YMCA, 301 West Benjamin 1/22/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Norfolk Public Library, 404 N 4th St 1/23/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 105 E. Norfolk Ave., Suite 400 1/27/2018: 8:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Walmart, 2400 Pasewalk Ave 1/28/2018: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., St. John's Lutheran Church, 1300 West Benjamin Ave 1/29/2018: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Norfolk Daily News, 525 Norfolk Ave 1/30/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., American Legion, 105 E. Norfolk Ave., Suite 400 1/31/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Hy-Vee Store, 120 East Norfolk Ave. 1/31/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Faith Regional Health Services-West Campus, 2700 West Norfolk Ave Tilden 1/22/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Tilden Community Library, 202 S. Center St _______________ Merrick Palmer 1/25/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Methodist Church, 1012 Commercial St _______________ Nance Genoa 1/12/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., City Hall, 313 Willard Avenue _______________ Pierce Osmond 1/30/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Osmond City Hall, Main Street _______________ Platte Columbus 1/9/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., US Bank Columbus, 2221 23rd Street 1/10/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Luke's United Church - Christ - Columbus, 1072 21st Avenue 1/11/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Outreach Center, 3602 16th Street 1/17/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., BD West Plant, 1852 10th Avenue 1/18/2018: 6:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m., BD East Plant, 605 E. 23rd Street 1/18/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Outreach Center, 3602 16th Street 1/25/2018: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., United Methodist Outreach Center, 3602 16th Street 1/26/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Dynamic Life - Columbus, 3763 39th Ave., Ste.100 1/27/2018: 8 a.m. - 12 p.m., United Methodist Outreach Center, 3602 16th Street Humphrey 1/17/2018: 10:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Humphrey Community Hall, 500 460th ST _______________ Polk Osceola 1/11/2018: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church, 531 S Polk Shelby 1/24/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion, 204 Main Street _______________ Saunders Cedar Bluffs 1/23/2018: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., St. Matthew Lutheran Church, 300 S 2nd St Wahoo 1/18/2018: 8 a.m. - 2 p.m., Wahoo High School, 2201 N. Locust _______________ Stanton Stanton 1/10/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stanton NE VFW, 1106 Veterans Ave _______________ Washington Blair 1/8/2018: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Francis Borgia Catholic Church, 2005 Davis Dr 1/12/2018: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Walmart Blair, 1882 Holly Street 1/13/2018: 7:30 a.m. - 12 p.m., Blair City Hall, 218 South 16th Street |