The American Red Cross encourages eligible donors to give blood and platelets during National Volunteer Month this April.
Eligible donors of all blood types – especially type O – are needed to help ensure blood products are available for patients this spring.
Nearly half of the public knows someone who has been helped by a blood transfusion. For many volunteer blood donors, like Gail Wright, that personal connection serves as inspiration to give.
Wright’s brother was involved in a serious motorcycle accident in 1982 and needed several blood transfusions during his four-month recovery. She lived more than 120 miles away at the time. Unable to be near him, she decided she could help by donating blood. Wright has continued to donate and recently completed her 11th gallon of donated blood – 88 lifesaving blood donations.
Volunteer donors are the only source of blood products for those in need of transfusions, and the Red Cross salutes the volunteer blood and platelet donors who help fulfill its lifesaving mission. While donors of all blood types are needed, the Red Cross currently has a severe shortage of type O blood donations and urges type O donors to give now.
Make an appointment by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting
RedCrossBlood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
