Blood drives scheduled; need is ‘urgent’

The American Red Cross has an urgent need for blood and platelet donors to give now to ensure blood is available for medical treatments and emergencies during the holiday season.

Blood and platelet donations often decline during the holidays. Regular donors are busy with holiday activities, and travel and severe winter weather may cause blood drive cancellations.

But donations remain critical for patients like 4-year-old Wyatt Monacelli who is in the midst of intense chemotherapy treatments for leukemia. He has received a number of transfusions since his diagnosis in June and will likely need more.

“We are fortunate to have had so many donors give the gift of life to our child so far throughout the course of his treatment, and even more so, we are lucky to have had a supply of blood available for him when he needed it,” said Julianna Monacelli, Wyatt’s mother.

Donors are urged to give now to ensure that families like Wyatt’s don’t have to worry about the availability of blood this winter. In thanks for helping meet the urgent need around the holidays, all those who come to donate blood or platelets now through Dec. 19 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal. More information and details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Together.

Make an appointment to donate blood or platelets by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800733-2767).

Another way to help keep the blood supply strong is to host a Red Cross blood drive this winter. To learn more about hosting a blood drive and to sign up, visit RedCrossBlood.org/HostADrive.

Litchfield County

Litchfield: Dec. 4, 1 p.m. 6:30 p.m., Litchfield Community Center, 421 Bantam Rd.

New Milford: Dec. 13, 1:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., New Milford Hospital, 21 Elm Street.

New Preston Marble Dale: Dec. 4, 7 a.m. - 12 p.m., Washington Montessori School, 240 Litchfield Turnpike.

Salisbury: Dec. 2, 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Salisbury Congregational Church, 30 Main Street.

Torrington: Nov. 29, 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Peter Church, 109 East Main St.; Dec. 17, 7:30 a.m. - 1 p.m., Charlotte Hungerford Hospital, 540 Litchfield Street.

Winsted: Dec. 3, 12 p.m. 5 p.m., Northwestern Connecticut Community College, Park Place East/Route 8.