Red Cross Issues Emergency Call For Blood Donations
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The American Red Cross on Tuesday issued an emergency call for blood donations, explaining that the supply has fallen short of hospital needs over the last few months. All eligible donors are urged to give blood and help replenish the low supply.
According to the relief organization, they are about 39,000 donations short of what is needed. "Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in," Jan Hale with the Southwest Blood Services Region said in a news release, "which is why we are making this emergency request for donations."
Donations of all blood types are needed.
The American Red Cross cited the Independence Day holiday as a possible cause for the decline in blood donations. A number of regular donors could have been on vacation, causing them to miss out on donating recently. According to a poll, more than 75 percent of the organization's regular donors said that they had summer vacation plans, and many people would be gone in the weeks around the July 4 holiday.
"Donations are urgently needed now to meet the needs of hospital patients in the coming days and weeks," Hale continued. "If you've thought about giving blood and helping to save lives, now is the time to do it."
Those who wish to donate blood can schedule an appointment by calling 1-800-RED-CROSS, visiting the American Red Cross website, or using the free Blood Donor mobile app. Donors can also avoid longer wait times by completing their health history questionnaire online.
There are also several blood donation events happening this week all across the Metroplex.
JULY 5
- 10:30 AM - 4:30 PM: American Red Cross, 4800 Harry Hines Boulevard, Dallas
- 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM: Nebraska Furniture Mart, 5600 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive,The Colony
JULY 6
- 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Nebraska Furniture Mart, 5600 Nebraska Furniture Mart Drive, The Colony
JULY 7
- 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM: Top Golf, 3760 Blair Oaks Drive, The Colony
JULY 8
- 10:00 AM - 3:45 PM: Honda of Burleson, 632 North Burleson Boulevard, Burleson
JULY 9
- 9:00 AM - 2:45 PM: Dallas City Hall, 1500 Marilla Street, Dallas
- 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM: Chick-fil-A, 1600 North Town East Boulevard, Mesquite
JULY 10
- 8:30 AM - 2:30 PM: Thousand Hills Church, 3201 Tower Ridge Drive, Corinth
- 9:30 AM - 3:30 PM: Korean Central United Methodist Church, 3800 Carbon Road, Irving
