Red Cross needs blood donors

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

The American Red Cross has an emergency need for blood and platelet donors.

Severe winter weather since Jan. 1 has forced the cancellation of more than 300 blood drives across 20 states, resulting in more than 9,500 donations uncollected, further depleting an already low winter supply, according to a Red Cross news release.

Blood-donation appointments can be scheduled quickly and easily by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org, or calling 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).

The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for the patients at nearly 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

Blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle-cell disease.

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High-school students and other donors 18 and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood 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, from a home or work computer before arriving at the blood drive.

To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.