Red Cross issues emergency appeal for blood donations

The American Red Cross Blood Services has issued an emergency appeal for all current eligible and new blood donors to give blood. The appeal comes in the face of increasingly significant blood shortages. Currently, the New York-Penn Region has just a one -day supply of blood. The Red Cross needs an optimal five to seven-day inventory to ensure it can meet routine patient needs and adequately respond to emergencies. Hospitals have been notified that the Red Cross anticipates that blood types O Negative, O Positive and A Negative will periodically be placed on medical approval over the next several days and that they should plan elective surgeries for patients with those blood types accordingly.

Emergency surgeries and traumas in Buffalo and Rochester over the holiday weekend have continued to deplete regional blood supplies. Every day, blood is needed in hospitals and emergency treatment facilities for patients with cancer and other diseases, for organ transplant recipients, and to help save the lives of accident victims. Without more blood on the shelves, the Red Cross cannot ensure that hospitals will have the blood they need to treat all patients.

Blood donations decline in the summer due to vacations, holidays, and everyone's busy lifestyle in the warm months. The blood shortages are also caused by the absence of high blood drives and fewer students at college blood drives.

The Red Cross is appealing to all eligible people to donate blood now and is particularly interested in collecting Type O, Type A-negative and Type B-negative, the blood types currently suffering the greatest shortage.

The region will extend blood drive hours at selected community drives and donation centers until further notice, and will open selected donation sites on Sunday, July 10. All current eligible and new donors can call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543) or visit www.DonateBloodNow.org to schedule an appointment to donate blood. Anyone 17 years or older, weighing at least 110 pounds and in general good health may be eligible to donate blood. Identification is required to donate blood.