Throughout National Blood Donor Month this January, the American Red Cross is celebrating the lifesaving contribution blood and platelet donors make to modern healthcare.
This month is a special time to highlight the importance of giving blood and to honor past and present donors who roll up a sleeve to help patients in need.
- Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood.
- A single blood donation can help save more than one life.
- All blood types are needed to help ensure a sufficient blood supply is available for patients.
Maintaining sufficient blood to meet patient needs is a delicate balance between supply and demand. The American Red Cross Blood Services must collect enough blood each and every day to meet the needs of accident victims, cancer patients, surgical candidates, children with blood disorders and others.
- The Northern Ohio Blood Services Region must collect approximately 900 blood donations each day to meet the needs of patients in our area.
- The Red Cross collects and processes about 40 percent of the nation’s blood supply – approximately 5.7 million units of blood each year from 3.3 million volunteer blood donors. These units are then manufactured into about 8 million transfusable blood products for patients at approximately 2,700 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.
- Overall, the Red Cross needs to collect approximately 15,000 units of blood each day to meet the needs of patients. When disaster strikes, this need may be even greater. The blood needs of our country can only be met by voluntary donations.
- One out of 10 people admitted to the hospital needs blood.
The winter months are generally a very difficult time to collect enough blood to meet the needs of patients.
- With schools out for winter holidays, families on vacation, and the potential for bad winter weather, it’s even more important that those who are eligible to donate come forward to give lifesaving blood regularly.
- Type O negative blood is the universal blood type. It can be transfused to anyone who needs blood, regardless of their own blood type.
- Type O negative blood is often used during emergencies, when there is no time to determine the patient’s blood type. That’s why it’s especially important that people with type O blood donate as frequently as they can.
Individuals who are at least 17 years old (16 with parental permission in some states), meet height and weight requirements (at least 110 pounds based on height), and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood.
Donors may give whole blood up to six times per year or every 56 days, double red cells every 112 days or up to three times per year, and platelets every seven days or up to 24 times a year.
Anyone interested in donating blood should call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-RED CROSS) or visit us online at redcrossblood.org to schedule an appointment or for more information.
Two blood drives are taking place this month in Portage County. Won’t you please consider donating at the one nearest you? Remember – it could be your own life or the life of your family that will be in need!
