What happened?
The Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage, according to an Aug. 5 news release. In July, heat impacted more than 100 blood drives across nearly every state where blood is collected.
Other factors, including summer travel by typical donors, has led to a 19,000-unit shortfall in blood donations during July. While blood donations fell, hospital demand has remained strong, according to the news release.
“It’s critical hospitals have both type O positive and type O negative blood ready to go for patients in the most life-threatening situations,” said Dr. Eric Gehrie, executive physician director for the Red Cross, in a statement. “Type O is especially important for victims of accidents and other trauma who are receiving emergency treatment. Now is the time for donors of all blood types to give and ensure hospital shelves can be restocked before any impact to patient care.”
Get involved
Blood donors are eligible to receive a $20 Amazon gift card by email when they donate between Aug. 1 and Aug. 31, according to the news release. Potential donors can schedule an appointment via the Red Cross Blood Donor app or by calling 1-800-733-2767.
The American Red Cross North Texas Region is also hosting several blood drives across the metroplex. The map below contains approximate times and locations of upcoming blood drives in Flower Mound, Fort Worth, Grapevine, Highland Village, Lewisville, McKinney, Plano, Richardson and Southlake.
For more information about how and where to give blood, go to www.redcrossblood.org.
