(UNDATED) – After issuing an emergency call for blood and platelet donors in early July, the American Red Cross continues to face an emergency blood shortage.
All eligible donors are urged to give now.
With the help of a generous $1 million donation from Amazon, the Red Cross is thanking those who help alleviate the blood shortage by coming to donate July 29 through Aug. 29 with a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card* via email.
Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of most blood types available and less than a two-day supply of type O blood.
Individuals can schedule an appointment to give now by activating Amazon’s Alexa Red Cross Blood Skill by saying, “Alexa, find a blood drive,” or by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
When an emergency arises, it is the blood already on the shelves that saves lives. Only through the generosity of blood donors can the Red Cross provide hospitals with lifesaving blood to meet the ongoing and often, unpredictable needs of patients. The need for blood is constant.
In the United States every two seconds blood is needed to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and those receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.
In Indiana alone, the Red Cross needs about 450 people to donate each day to support patients at 80 hospitals across the state.
Amazon donation is helping save patient lives
With the help of a generous $1 million donation from Amazon, the Red Cross hopes to motivate donors to roll up a sleeve and alleviate the blood shortage across the country. Amazon’s partnership with the Red Cross is part of their commitment to “Right Now Needs” to help increase blood donations to ensure patient needs are met.
“We are grateful to Amazon for their support in addressing a ‘Right Now Need’ for blood donations,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “Each donation truly matters to those counting on blood products to battle illness and injury. Today, we are asking the public to donate as soon as possible to ensure blood is available on hospital shelves for those in need.”
Meghan’s “right now” needs for blood
At any time, a patient can require an immense quantity of blood. For first-time mom Meghan Jolliffe, the need was immediate after suffering an amniotic fluid embolism. Her heart stopped beating for 14 minutes, and doctors had no time to waste. They needed to perform an emergency cesarean section. During delivery, her organs shut down, and her blood would not clot. Meghan needed multiple medical procedures that spanned a seven-hour period and received close to 100 units of blood from generous donors. Her newborn son, Sullivan, experienced complications after birth and would also need several units of blood. Collectively they received 109 units of blood.
“My family and I are forever grateful for the generosity of Red Cross volunteer blood donors,” said Jolliffe. “Donating blood is so important. You or a loved one may never need these lifesaving products, but I can assure you that someone, somewhere will.”
Blood transfusion is one of the most common inpatient hospital procedures in the U.S., and these blood products can only come from volunteer donors. Yet, only 3 out of 100 people in the U.S. give blood.
Don’t wait to give
The Red Cross urges individuals across the country to roll up a sleeve today to ensure blood is available for patients across the country. A blood donation takes about an hour from start to finish, but the actual donation itself only takes about 8-10 minutes.
Donors can also save up to 15 minutes at the blood drive by completing a RapidPass®. With RapidPass®, donors complete the pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of donation, from a mobile device or computer. To complete a RapidPass®, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Red Cross Blood Donor App.
To donate blood, individuals need to bring a blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification that are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also must meet certain height and weight requirements.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 29-Aug. 15:
Daviess County
- 7/30/2019: 2 – 6 p.m. Harvest Community Fellowship, 200 W. Main St. in Washington.
- 8/9/2019: 2:30 – 7:30 p.m. First Mennonite Church, 8002 E 550 N. in Montgomery.
- 8/15/2019: 1 – 5 p.m. Antioch Christian Church, 3007 E US Highway 50 in Washington.
Decatur County
- 8/12/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., YMCA Greensburg, 1301 Kathys Way in Greensburg.
Delaware County
- 8/6/2019: 12 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., American Red Cross Center – Muncie, 325 E Washington St. in Muncie.
Dubois County
- 7/30/2019: 2 – 6 p.m. Sultan’s Run Golf Club, 1490 N. Meridian Road Jasper, IN 47546
- 7/31/2019: 2 – 6 p.m. Indiana State Police – Jasper, 2209 Newton St. in Jasper
- 8/1/2019: 2 – 7 p.m. Schnellville Community Club, 7855 East Market St. in Schnellville, IN 47580
- 8/3/2019: noon – 5 p.m. Jasper Strassenfest, 1 Courthouse Square in Jasper.
- 8/5/2019: 2 – 7 p.m. American Legion Hall, 425 South Main St. in Ferdinand.
- 8/11/2019: 8 a.m. – noon St. Raphael Catholic Church, 5564 Saint Raphael St. in Dubois.
Gibson County
- 8/1/2019: 1:30 – 6:30 p.m. Vertical Church, 415 W. 800 S. Fort Branch, IN 47648
- 8/2/2019: 2 – 6 p.m. Knights of Columbus, 313 West Broadway in Princeton.
- 8/6/2019: 2 – 7 p.m. Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church, 211 North Vine St. in Haubstadt.
- 8/7/2019: 3 – 7 p.m. Owensville United Methodist Church, 103 South 3rd St. in Owensville.
Hamilton County
- 8/6/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Harvest Bible Chapel, 14550 River Rd. in Carmel
- 8/2/2019: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Harley-Davidson of Indianapolis, 12400 Reynolds Dr. in Fishers.
- 8/12/2019: 12 p.m. – 4 p.m., Indiana Members Credit Union – Westfield, 4005 Westfield Rd. in Westfield
Jennings County
- 8/1/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Tea Creek Baptist Church, 5280 S. Co Rd 300 W. in North Vernon
Johnson County
- 8/13/2019: 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Johnson County Library White River Branch, 1664 Library Blvd. in Greenwood.
Lawrence County
- 8/13/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1515 20th St. in Bedford.
- 8/15/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Indiana University Health Bedford, 2900 W. 16th St. in Bedford.
Madison County
- 7/29/2019: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Ponderosa Steakhouse, 5009 S Scatterfield Rd. in Anderson.
Marion County
- 7/31/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Salesforce – Capitol Avenue, 433 North Capitol Avenue in Indianapolis.
- 8/3/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Jordan YMCA, 8400 Westfield Blvd in Indianapolis.
- 8/5/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St. in Indianapolis.
- 8/9/2019: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., Fairbanks Hall, 340 West 10th St. in Indianapolis.
- 8/9/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St. in Indianapolis.
- 8/11/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Indiana State Fairgrounds, 1202 E. 38th St. in Indianapolis.
Martin County
- 8/8/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Loogootee United Methodist Church, 208 W. Main Street in Loogootee.
- 8/7/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Shoals Christian Church, 602 N. Main Street in Shoals.
Monroe County
- 7/29/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Monroe County Public Library, 303 East Kirkwood Ave in Bloomington.
- 7/31/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Bloomington Blood Donation Center, 1600 W. 3rd St. in Bloomington.
- 8/3/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Bloomington Blood Donation Center, 1600 W. 3rd St. in Bloomington.
- 8/7/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Bloomington Blood Donation Center, 1600 W. 3rd St. in Bloomington.
- 8/10/2019: 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Bloomington Blood Donation Center, 1600 W. 3rd St. in Bloomington.
- 8/14/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Bloomington Blood Donation Center, 1600 W. 3rd St. in Bloomington.
Perry County
- 8/14/2019: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. German American Bank Tell City, 645 Main St. in Tell City.
Putnam County
- 8/5/2019: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Putnam County Public Library, 103 East Poplar Street in Greencastle.
Posey County
- 8/4/2019: 7 a.m. – 11 a.m. St. Matthews Catholic Church, 421 Mulberry St. in Mount Vernon.
Rush County
- 8/6/2019: 2 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., Rush County Circuit Court, 101 E. 2nd Street in Rushville.
Shelby County
- 8/15/2019: 12 p.m. – 6 p.m., Shelbyville Community Church, 720 North 325 East in Shelbyville.
Spencer County
- 7/29/2019: 3 – 7 p.m. Dale Community Center, 103 N. Wallace St. in Dale
- 8/2/2019: 1 – 6 p.m. Santa Claus United Methodist Church, 351 North Holiday Blvd. in Santa Claus
Vanderburgh County
Evansville Blood Donation Center, 29 North Stockwell Road Evansville, IN 47714
- 7/29/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
- 7/30/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- 7/31/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
- 8/2/2019: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- 8/3/2019: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- 8/5/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
- 8/6/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- 8/7/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
- 8/9/2019: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- 8/10/2019: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- 8/12/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
- 8/13/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
- 8/14/2019: 12:30 p.m. – 7:15 p.m.
Vigo County
- 8/2/2019: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Union Hospital, 1606 North 7th Street in Terre Haute.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.
The Red Cross is a not-for- profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or
visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.
