Get rooted in the Red Cross this spring. Donate blood and platelets and become part of its ever growing family tree; joining about 3.3 million blood donors nationwide in a lifesaving cause.
According to Tracy Fox, communications manager for the American Red Cross Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region, “Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.” The Red Cross must collect enough blood donations every day to meet the needs of cancer patients, trauma victims, organ transplant recipients, premature babies with complications, sickle cell disease patients and others.
Donors may give whole blood up to six times per year or every 56 days, double red cell donation procedure every 112 days or up to three times per year, and platelets up to 24 times in a 12-month period. According to Fox, each weekday the Indiana-Ohio Blood Services Region needs to have at least 500 blood donors to help meet the need of patients in the hospitals served.
On average, the American Red Cross must collect about 15,000 pints of blood every day to meet the needs of patients at approximately 2,700 hospitals and transfusion centers across the country.
“Strong donor turnout in April and May can give us good momentum into the hectic summer season. And with only eight percent of eligible individuals donating blood each year, there’s great potential for solid collections during spring,” commented Fox. Approximately 38 percent of the U.S. population is eligible to donate blood, but only eight percent of those eligible – or three percent of the general population – donates blood each year.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
Kosciusko County:
Wednesday, April 2, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Warsaw Missionary Church, located at 1849 Springhill Rd. in Warsaw.
Tuesday, April 8, from noon until 6 p.m. at Center Lake Pavilion in the Pavilion Room, located at 117 Canal St. in Warsaw.
Elkhart County:
Friday, April 4, from 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. at Goshen College in the College Mennonite Church Fellowship Hall, located at 1900 S. Main St. in Goshen.
Monday, April 14 from 1:30 p.m. until 5:30 p.m. at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in the gym, located at 109 W. Monroe St. in Goshen.
Goshen Donor Center, located at 1123 S. Indiana Ave. in Goshen
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday: noon to 6 p.m.; Thursday: closed; and Friday and Saturday: 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Marshall County:
Wednesday, April 2, from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. at Ancilla College in the Evergreen Room C231, located at 9601 S. Union in Donaldson.
Wednesday, April 9 from 11:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. at St. Isidore Hall located at 803 W. Bike St. in Bremen.
St. Joseph County:
Monday, April 14, from 2 p.m. until 6 p.m. at Wal-Mart, located at 700 W. Ireland Rd. in South Bend.
How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in.
Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.