The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
RED CROSS AIMS FOR MORE DONATIONS
Drives at schools and colleges are important part of overall collection efforts
The 2018-19 school year is back in session in most places and that no doubt has drawn a mixture of reactions from students, educators and parents.
One organization that is pleased to see the academic year get started is the American Red Cross Northern Ohio Blood Services Region.
That’s because in northern Ohio and throughout the United States, high school and college blood drives account for as much as 20 percent of blood donated to the Red Cross while school is in session.
“We hope to see more people come out to give blood (during the school year),” said Christy Peters, external communications manager for the Red Cross Northern Ohio and Western Lake Erie Blood Services regions.
Summer is a difficult
time for Red Cross chapters around the country to keep their blood supplies at desirable levels for a variety of reasons.
In addition to the decline in school and college blood drives, summer is also a peak season for vacations. As a result, more regular and prospective blood donors go out of town, which can mean lower attendance at area blood-collecting events.
With more people traveling in motor vehicles on vacation during the summer, it also can result in a higher number of car crashes in which victims will need blood transfusions. A single car crash victim can require as many as 100 pints of blood, according to Red Cross statistics.
As a result, the Red Cross sometimes finds itself in a predicament during the summer where the blood supply is depleted at a time when demand increases. This situation occurred earlier this summer and prompted the American Red Cross on July 9
to declare an emergency blood shortage and an urgent call for eligible donors of all blood types — especially Type O — to replenish the national blood supply.
“Type O is routinely in short supply and in high demand by hospitals,” Peters said.
This is because Type O positive is the most common blood type and Type O negative is the universal blood type needed for emergency transfusions.
In its July 9 news release, the Red Cross said it escalated its call for donors after a difficult Independence Day week for donations.
“More than 550 fewer blood drives were organized by businesses and other community groups (during the week of Independence Day) than during a typical week as individuals across the country celebrated the holiday and enjoyed summer activities. This could equate to as many as 15,000 fewer donations than needed, causing donations to now be distributed to hospitals faster than they come in.”
During the summer months, incentives are sometimes offered to encourage
people to give blood. Examples of promotions this summer included Amazon gift cards and Cedar Point tickets for blood donors, Peters said.
In hopes of bolstering donations over the Labor Day weekend, anyone giving from Aug. 31 through Sept. 4 will receive a Red Cross standard aluminum water bottle, she added.
The American Red Cross Northern Ohio Blood Region strives to supply at least 500 pints of blood per day to a total of more than 50 hospitals in 19 counties, including Lake, Geauga, Cuyahoga and Ashtabula. During the fiscal year ending June 30, 2017, the region collected 125,243 red blood cell donations and 17,039 platelet donations. Red blood cells must be used within 42 days and platelets within five days, according to the Red Cross.
To learn more about requirements for giving blood and the various types of blood donations, or to find upcoming blood drives around the region, visit redcrossblood.org or call 800733-2767.
“Really, no matter what your blood type, we need you (to donate blood),” Peters said.