Before you watch the fireworks, consider rolling up your sleeve and giving blood this 4th of July.
The American Red Cross announced Monday, June 25th, that an unseasonably early start to spring may be one of the reasons why there were 50,000 fewer donations than expected in June across the country. The shortfall leaves the American Red Cross with only half the readily available blood products on hand right now compared to this time last year.
The organization is calling on all eligible blood donors to roll up a sleeve and give as soon as possible. All blood types are welcomed, but especially O+, O-, B-, and A- are needed to meet patient demand this summer.
“Summer is usually a hard time for blood donations but this summer is especially hard because the weather has been great, people have gotten an early start to their vacations, and 4th of July falls in the middle of the week so a lot of our business-sponsored drives are being postponed and cancelled because their employees are taking extended vacations,” says Karen Kelly, Special Events and Communications Coordinator with the American Red Cross of the Quad Cities.
The American Red Cross is holding blood drives over the next few weeks in Carroll County, Clinton County, Henry County, Mercer County, and Whiteside County. You can find more information at http://qcredcross.org/
The American Red Cross does not provide blood to hospitals in the entire QCA. Instead, the Mississippi Valley Regional Blood Center is the provider of blood and blood components to Trinity and Genesis Hospitals, as well as the hospitals in Burlington, Clinton, DeWitt, Dubuque, Galesburg, Geneseo, Macomb, Maquoketa, Muscatine, and many more in a four-state area. The MVRBC is also experiencing a decrease in donations and the challenge of having 4th of July fall on a Wednesday next week. Prospective donors are asked to contact MVRBC to make an appointment for donation at a nearby Donor Center or mobile blood drive. For more information, you can call (563) 359-5401 or visit www.bloodcenter.org
