About 25% of the region’s blood supply comes from high school blood drives alone, according to a Carter BloodCare news release. When students and faculty are on spring break in mid-March and mobile blood drives are not going on, the Texas-based nonprofit tends to see a drop in blood donations, said James Black, Carter BloodCare senior PR specialist.
“We’re really trying to emphasize throughout the month of March to add donating blood to your to-do list,” Black said. “Because it makes a big difference for patients throughout Texas.”
Carter BloodCare operates more than 20 donor centers throughout the DFW area, including locations in Frisco, McKinney, Plano and Flower Mound, according to its website. The nonprofit also operates mobile blood drives throughout the region, Black said.
The nonprofit aims to reach 1,500 donors a day across its service area, Black said. Those donations can potentially help up to 4,500 people.
Hospitals use donated blood for medical emergencies and daily health care procedures, according to the news release. There is also a need for platelet donations that can help blood clotting in patients undergoing cancer treatments, heart surgery or organ transplants.
“That's why we really try to emphasize that whenever we have these slack periods, when folks are out of town, the need for blood doesn't stop,” Black said. “The need for donors doesn’t stop.”
In addition to the spring break slump, Carter BloodCare typically sees drops in donor numbers during the summer months and during the holidays, Black said.
American Red Cross North Texas sees its biggest slump during the winter when it starts to get cold, Regional Communications Director Brian Murnahan said.
“By nature, people become more home-bodied,” he said. “They don’t make their appointments to give blood.”
American Red Cross North Texas serves more than 9 million people across 121 counties, according to its website. The branch works with the national and international Red Cross to serve people around the country and the world, according to its website.
Red Cross is constantly working with hospitals to understand their needs, Murnahan said. Ebbs and flows in blood supply can be very localized, he said.
The branch operates two donation centers in Irving and Plano, and hosts multiple pop-up blood drives across the region every month. Red Cross North Texas partners with community organizations such as churches, businesses and schools to host the pop-up drives, Murnahan said.
Potential donors can schedule appointments for giving blood via the Carter BloodCare website or American Red Cross North Texas website. They can sign up to donate whole blood, platelets or plasma at several locations across the DFW area.
Potential donors must be 16 years or older, weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health, according to the organizations.
