Give a Meaningful Gift for the Holidays—Give Blood

The air outside is crisp and the holidays are around the corner. When you’re not rushing through your holiday to-do list or bouncing from one holiday party to the next, it’s a breath of fresh air to sit and enjoy the season. It’s a time to stay in and bake cookies, sip hot cocoa, curl up by the fire and spend time with loved ones. But for some, this time will be spent in the hospital waiting on blood products to help them get well.

Each day, the American Red Cross needs 14,000 blood donations to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country. During the holiday season, donations often decline because donors are busier with holiday activities and travelling to see loved ones. The decline could have a serious impact for hospital patients depending on generous blood and platelet donations.

While making special holiday memories with friends and family this season, consider giving a meaningful gift to someone in need. By donating blood or platelets with the Red Cross, you could give a hospital patient in need the chance to make their own memories. 

Donors can give blood at blood drives occurring almost every day across South Carolina. On Friday, Dec. 18, join the Red Cross Board of Directors for its first-ever holiday blood drive in Columbia. The drive is 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center, 1101 Lincoln St. All presenting donors will receive a free Red Cross long-sleeve T-shirt, while supplies last.

This season, create memories and start new traditions. Make donating blood or platelets part of your holiday to-do list. To find a donation opportunity near you, download the Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS. You can also help support the Red Cross by asking others to donate or creating a SleevesUp virtual blood drive.