The American Red Cross says there’s an urgent need for blood donations in the Midwest Region.
Midwest Blood Services Region spokeswoman April Oppliger says there were 50,000 fewer blood donations in June. With a holiday in early July, donations continued to be low.
Oppliger says there’s a need for all blood types, as well as for platelets.
“Every single day where we go where we don’t collect what we’re supposed to collect, it means less blood for those people hospitalized who need that product. Fortunately, we are not at a place yet where we are having doctors have to cancel elective surgeries, or where essential surgeries are having to be pushed back. But we need everyone’s help to make sure that we can continue to meet patient needs.”
Oppliger says A, O, and B negative are especially needed, as well as platelet donations. The Midwest Region, which includes Nebraska, parts of southwest Iowa, Colorado, and Kansas, needs to collect 500 pints of blood a day to meet needs.
Blood has a shelf life of 42 days, and platelets just five days.
More information is available at www.redcrossblood.org.