Local Red Cross Calling for Donors to Help Blood Supply Recovery

RedCrossLogoParticular need for donors with type O-negative blood

With this latest round of severe winter storms, the local American Red Cross has been unable to collect over 820 expected pints of blood over the course of the last three days. Over 20 blood drives across the 50 county coverage area were forced to be cancelled throughout the week.

Further compounding the issue, many Red Cross blood drives across the country have also been cancelled and the number of blood donations uncollected due to winter storms over the last several weeks rose to 28,000 since January 1.

At any given moment we have patients relying on life-saving blood products. And this need is constant, even in emergency situations,” said Sharyn Whitman, CEO for the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross. “The quickest help will come from those local blood donors who are able to safely travel to a blood drive or donor center near them. We are encouraging the public to donate blood and platelets as soon as it is safe to travel in the coming days and weeks.”

All blood types are needed, but there is a particular need for donors with O-negative blood since O-negative can be transfused into patients of all blood types. People are asked to make and keep an appointment to give blood by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or visiting redcrossblood.org.

People have been responding to the call for blood donors, and the Red Cross is grateful to those who are stepping up to donate blood to help build the blood supply back to sufficient levels. The Red Cross distributes blood products to approximately 3,000 hospitals and transfusion centers across the United States.

UPCOMING AMERICAN RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVES IN YOUR AREA:

  • Friday, Feb. 4, from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Porter Hospital Valparaiso Campus in the Patio Room, located at 814 LaPorte Ave. in Valparaiso.
  • Saturday, Feb. 5, from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Washington Evangelical Free Church in the gymnasium, located at 3805 LaPorte Ave. in Valparaiso.
  • Monday, Feb. 7, from noon until 6 p.m. at the Eagles Lodge, located at 805 Elm St. in Valparaiso.
  • Saturday, Feb. 12, from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Union Fire & Rescue, located at 267 North 600 West in Valparaiso.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 3:15 p.m. until 7:45 p.m. at Valparaiso University School of Law in Wesemann Hall, Room 131, located at 656 Greenwich St. in Valparaiso. Please go to redcrossblood.org and enter sponsor code “vulaw” to schedule your blood donation appointment.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 16, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the YMCA, located at 1201 Cumberland Crossing Drive in Valparaiso.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at the First Christian Church in the Fellowship Hall, located at 1507 Glendale Blvd. in Valparaiso.
  • Wednesday, Feb. 23, from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Arnell Motors, located at 241 Melton Road in Burns Harbor. Please email seaton@arnellmotors.com to schedule your blood donation appointment.
  • Thursday, Feb. 24, from 2 p.m. until 7 p.m. at St. Mary’s Church in the Fellowship Hall, located at 402 E. Indiana Ave. in Kouts.
  • Thursday, Feb. 24, from 7:45 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. at Chesterton High School in the gymnasium, located at 2125 S. 11th St. in Chesterton. Come to donate and be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Best Buy.
  • Friday, Feb. 25, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. at Porter County Career Center in the Health Education Classrooms, located at 1005 N. Franklin St. in Valparaiso. Come to donate and be entered into a drawing for a $100 gift card to Best Buy.
  • Saturday, Feb. 26, from noon until 4 p.m. at Harbor Superstore, located at 6100 U.S. Highway 6 in Portage.  Please email denise.carpenter@harbormotive.com to schedule your blood donation appointment.
  • Monday, Feb. 28, from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Chamber of Commerce, located at 162 W. Lincolnway in Valparaiso.

How to Donate Blood
To schedule an appointment to donate please call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org for more information. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. Please bring your Red Cross blood donor card or other form of positive ID when you come to donate.

About the American Red Cross
The Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region serves northern and central Indiana and northwestern Ohio, and needs to collect about 500 units of blood a day to meet patient need in more than 60 hospitals. In addition to providing blood to our community, the American Red Cross also provides relief to victims of disaster, trains millions in lifesaving skills, serves as a communication link between U.S. military members and their families, and assists victims of international disasters or conflicts.