MOLINE, Ill. — The ImpactLife blood donation center is reporting a critically low supply of blood going into summer and is asking donors to schedule appointments soon.
The center says that it is facing an urgent need for blood; responding to a decrease in donations during the first weeks of the summer season.
ImpactLife is calling out to all eligible and potential blood donors to schedule appointments this week — which also happens to contain World Blood Donor Day on Tuesday, June 14.
The day is observed annually on June 14 to raise awareness for blood donation, honor volunteers and donors, and commemorate the birthday of Dr. Karl Landsteiner, who identified the main types of blood, among other key discoveries.
In the announcement, ImpactLife also shared statistics around blood needs, including that cancer patients use about 25% of the blood supply, and that pediatric patients use about 1800 units of blood every day. For scale, a measurement of 10 units of blood is about equal to 1.2-1.5 gallons.
“Having an adequate supply of blood is essential to providing care to some of our sickest and most vulnerable patients,” said Kurt Andersen, M.D., chief medical officer of Genesis Health System. “We need every person in our community who can give blood to do so and continue to do so again and again. Donating blood is safe and easy to do. As we add our voices to others asking people to donate, we hope that many available appointment slots will fill.”
Appointments can be scheduled by calling ImpactLife at 1-800-747-5401, visiting the ImpactLife website, or through the ImpactLife mobile app.
To thanks donors who show up at this critical time, the blood center will give donors 500 bonus points to use in the Donor Rewards Store or a choice of gift card, with options including Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe's, Target, Subway, Starbucks, and Walmart. The promotion will last through July 10.