During the past few months, blood
donations have fallen short of hospital needs, resulting in about 39,000 fewer
donations than what is needed. The American Red Cross has issued an emergency
call for blood and platelets, asking all eligible donors to give now to help
replenish the low supply.
“Right now, blood products are being
distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in, which is why we
are making this emergency request for donations,” said Louise Welch Williams,
regional CEO for the Red Cross in South Carolina. “Donations are urgently
needed now to meet the needs of hospital patients in the coming days and weeks.
If you’ve thought about giving blood and helping to save lives, now is the time
to do it. It’s the blood donations on the shelves that help save lives when an
emergency occurs.”
Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets
are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn
victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving
treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must
collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for
patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.
How to Help
Visit a
blood donation center:
American Red Cross Mount Pleasant
Blood Donation Center, 920 Houston Northcutt Blvd.
Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Friday
and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
American Red Cross West Ashley Blood
Donation Center, 2000 Sam Rittenberg Blvd.
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m.
to 7 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Find a
blood drive in your neighborhood:
The Red Cross hosts blood drives
almost every day in communities throughout the tri-county area. To find a blood
drive near you, visit redcrossblood.org and type in your zip code. These blood
drives, hosted by corporate, community, and faith-based partners, offer a
variety of times and locations for you to donate blood.
Make an
appointment to donate:
To schedule an appointment or find one
of the local blood drives, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS
(1-800-733-2767).
Blood donors play an
integral role in the delivery of modern healthcare. Many life-saving medical
treatments and procedures involve blood transfusions and would not be possible
without a safe and reliable blood supply. Because
of generous donors, the Red Cross is able to provide blood products to patients
like 11-year-old Mae Rainey, who needs regular blood transfusions as part of
her treatment for a blood disorder.
If you have never donated
blood, please consider doing so. If you already donate blood, thank you!
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