Blood donations down 61,000 past two months
The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives.
Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.
“It’s crucial that people donate now to meet the needs of patients every day and to be prepared for emergencies that require significant volumes of donated blood,” said Nick Gehrig, communications director, Red Cross Blood Services. “Every day, blood and platelet donors can help save lives, and right now these heroes are needed to give as soon as possible.”
To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.
Blood shortages often worsen around Independence Day due to many fewer volunteer-hosted blood drives at places of work, worship or community gathering, and this year is no exception. Nearly 700 fewer blood drives are scheduled during the Independence Day week than the weeks before and after the holiday.
Overall, the summer months are among the most challenging times of the year for blood and platelet donations as regular donors delay giving while they vacation and participate in summer activities. In a recent survey of Red Cross blood donors, more than 73 percent indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them occurring the weeks before and after Independence Day.
New donors and those who haven’t given in a while are especially encouraged to roll up a sleeve and help save lives. Nearly one-third fewer new blood donors came out to give last summer than during the rest of the year due in part to schools – where blood drives are held and where new donors give – being out of session during the summer months.
Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 5-25
Dodge County
Ashippun
7/10/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Ashippun Town Hall, W1266 Hwy O
Beaver Dam
7/13/2017: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Centro Inc., 1404 N Spring St
8/2/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity Church-United Methodist, 308 Oneida Street
Fox Lake
7/18/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Living Hope Community Church, 740 W. State St, PO Box 111
7/20/2017: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Fox Lake Correctional, W10237 Lake Emily Rd
Horicon
7/18/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., IAM LL873 Union Hall, 258 Barstow St
Iron Ridge
7/13/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Michael's Lutheran Church, N4911 Gray Road
Juneau
7/11/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Juneau Community Center, 500 Lincoln
Lomira
7/17/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Trinity United Methodist Church, 300 Church St
Mayville
7/27/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., American Legion, 134 South Main Street
Watertown
8/1/2017: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Watertown Regional Medical Center, 125 Hospital Drive
Fond du Lac County
Brandon
7/18/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bethel Reformed Church, 305 W Main St
Campbellsport
7/18/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Church, 350 S Helena St
Fond du Lac
7/25/2017: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., American Legion, 500 Fond du Lac Ave
7/28/2017: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Fond du Lac Public Library, 32 Sheboygan St.
Ripon
8/1/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Ripon High School, 850 Tiger Dr
Jefferson County
Fort Atkinson
7/19/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., Fort Atkinson Community, 211 S. Water St. East
Jefferson
7/31/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Masonic Center, 617 Masonic Blvd
Johnson Creek
7/13/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St Johns Lutheran Church, 129 N Watertown St
Lake Mills
8/1/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., City Hall, 200 Water St
Waterloo
7/14/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Waterloo Elementary School, 810 N Monroe St
Watertown
7/6/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Watertown Senior & Community Center, 514 S. First Street
7/24/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran School, 706 Jones Street
7/25/2017: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., St. Mark's Evangelical Lutheran School, 706 Jones Street
Milwaukee County
Milwaukee
7/7/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Honey Creek Church, 8200 West Bluemound Rd
7/20/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Schlitz Park Office Building, 1555 N River Center Dr
7/21/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., American Red Cross in Southeast WI, 2600 W Wisconsin Ave
7/25/2017: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Milwaukee Public Museum, 800 West Wells Street
7/28/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Xperience Fitness - West Allis, 6706 W. Greenfield Avenue
Sheboygan County
Plymouth
7/13/2017: 11:30 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Riverview Middle School, 300 Riverside Circle
Sheboygan
7/7/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
7/14/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
7/21/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
7/28/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
8/4/2017: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m., Sheboygan Trades and Labor Hall, 1104 Wisconsin Ave
Sheboygan Falls
7/5/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Sheboygan Falls High School, 220 Amherst Ave.
7/7/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Pine Haven Christian Communities, 220 Haven Dr
Walworth County
East Troy
7/17/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., East Troy Bible Church, 2660 North St -Hwy 20
Lake Geneva
7/12/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Badger High School, 220 E South St
7/14/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Mercyhealth, N2950 State Road 67 and Hwy 50
7/14/2017: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Lake Geneva United Methodist Church, 912 Geneva St.
Sharon
7/11/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Christ Lutheran Church, 228 Martin St
Walworth
7/28/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Big Foot High School, 401 Devils Ln
Whitewater
7/5/2017: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., 841 Brewhouse, 841 E. Milwaukee Street
Washington County
Germantown
7/6/2017: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., CrossWay Church, W156 N10041 Pilgrim Rd
7/14/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Germantown Community Library, N112W16957 Mequon Rd
Hartford
8/3/2017: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Hartford Recreation Center, 125 N Rural St
Waukesha County
Brookfield
7/10/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St John Vianney Catholic Church, 1755 N Calhoun Rd
7/21/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Cross of Life Lutheran Church, 20700 West North Avenue
8/4/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Brookfield East High School, 3305 Lilly Rd
Hartland
7/20/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Batteries Plus Bulbs, 1325 Walnut Ridge Dr
7/27/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Oakwood Church, 3041 Oakwood Rd
8/1/2017: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Merton Community Center, W282 N6966 Main Street
Mukwonago
7/20/2017: 9 a.m. - 2 p.m., Mukwonago Town Hall, W320 S8315 Beulah Road
Muskego
7/5/2017: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Muskego Public Library, S73 W16663 Janesville Rd
Nashotah
7/6/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Nashotah Village Hall, N44 W32950 Watertown Plank Rd.
New Berlin
7/10/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Cleveland Pub & Grill, 14000 W. Cleveland Avenue
7/26/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., New Berlin Public Library, 15105 Library Ln
8/3/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helium Trampoline & Climbing Park, 16235 W. Beloit Rd
North Lake
7/27/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Town Hall Library, N76 W31429 Hwy VV
Pewaukee
7/3/2017: 8 a.m. - 1 p.m., American Red Cross Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Road
7/6/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/11/2017: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/13/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/20/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
7/26/2017: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Kirkland Crossings, 700 Quinlan Drive
7/27/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
8/3/2017: 12:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., Waukesha Blood Donation Center, 2220 Silvernail Rd
Waukesha
8/1/2017: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Sky Zone Trampoline Park, W229 N 1420 Westwood Dr