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Red Cross announces critical shortage of type O blood

The American Red Cross has extended its urgent call for donors of all blood types to give blood or platelets. With influenza escalating across the country and preventing some donors from giving, and winter weather threatening to cancel blood drives, the Red Cross now has a critical shortage of type O blood and urgently needs donors to restock the shelves.

Currently, the Red Cross has less than a three-day supply of type O blood available for patient emergencies and medical treatments. Type O positive blood is the most transfused blood type and can be given to Rh-positive patients of any blood type. While just 7% of the U.S. population has type O negative blood, it can be transfused to patients with any blood type and is what hospital staff reach for during emergencies when there isn’t time to determine a patient’s blood type.

Every day, the Red Cross must collect nearly 13,000 blood donations and more than 2,600 platelet donations for patients who rely on blood to survive. In Indiana Ohio Region alone, the Red Cross needs 350 donors each day to support patients being treated at 80 area hospitals.

Shortfalls in donations can cause delays in essential medical care for patients like 12-year-old Dagan Hawkins. Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in November, Dagan has required platelet and blood transfusions during his cancer treatments. “There was a time when they needed to have blood products delivered from another hospital because they were unavailable there,” said Dustin Hawkins, Dagan’s father.

Donors of all blood types – especially types O positive and O negative – are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets now using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or enabling the Blood Donor Skill on any Alexa Echo device.

Marion

Jan. 30: 9:30 a.m. – 3 p.m., VA Northern Indiana Healthcare System, located at 1700 E. 38th St.

Swayzee

Feb. 10:  2 – 7 p.m., Swayzee United Methodist Church, located at 306 S. Washington St.

Upland

Feb. 12: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Taylor University – Euler Science Complex, located at 236 W. Reade Ave.

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