Find a Blood Drive
Find a Blood Drive
The holiday season is a time for festivities and family. It’s also a time to give back. This year, you can give a meaningful gift that helps people through some of life’s toughest moments. Gather a group of friends or family and donate blood to make a lifesaving difference for patients in need. What could be a better gift than that?
There’s still no substitute for blood. Blood can’t be manufactured; it can only come from donors like you. Blood donations are needed all year. Unfortunately, demand for blood during the holidays coincides with a lower availability of donors due to vacations and holiday activities, seasonal illnesses, school breaks and severe weather.
Every two seconds, someone in the U.S. needs blood. This includes cancer patients, people with chronic diseases, cardiac and organ transplant patients, and babies that are born prematurely. In a medical emergency, having blood products on hand can make a lifesaving difference.
You could help patients like James who needs weekly blood transfusions to help manage his Factor 1 deficiency, a one-in-a-million blood disorder that makes it impossible for his body to form clots and stop bleeding.
Even in our state-of-the-art storage facilities, blood doesn’t last forever. The average person can only donate one pint of blood in a single donation, and the shelf life is only 42 days. A steady flow of blood donors is necessary to keep hospitals stocked in case of emergency.
Helping others could also help you or a loved one. Donating blood is an incredible way to help those in need, but you also get the added benefit of a free mini health assessment prior to donation. When you come in to donate, a Red Cross staff member will check your blood pressure, hemoglobin levels and pulse. We record this information in your online donor profile which you can be accessed at any time to help you manage your health.
It’s easy to do. The actual donation can be quick with the whole process from start to finish only lasting about an hour. You can save even more time by using the Blood Donor App and answering your health history questions using RapidPass on the day of your donation. You can then print out your questionnaire or bring the PDF on your phone to your blood drive or donation center.
Make giving blood a holiday habit and invite those you love to join you! Blood, platelets and plasma are always needed, and your lifesaving gift could have a very big impact. Schedule your appointment through the Blood Donor App, RedCrossBlood.org, or by calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).