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Critical Red Cross Blood Shortage Prompts Emergency Call for Donations

Give blood or platelets now and help save lives

NEWS RELEASE, 7/5/2017
PHILADELPHIA — The American Red Cross is facing a critical blood shortage and is issuing an emergency call for eligible blood and platelet donors of all blood types to give now and help save lives.
Blood donations have fallen short of expectations for the past two months, resulting in about 61,000 fewer donations than needed and causing a significant draw down of the Red Cross blood supply. The shortfall is the equivalent of the Red Cross not collecting any blood donations for more than four days.
“It’s crucial that people donate now to meet the needs of patients every day and to be prepared for emergencies that require significant volumes of donated blood,” said Alana Mauger, external communications manager for the Penn-Jersey Blood Services Region. “Every day, blood and platelet donors can help save lives, and right now these heroes are needed as soon as possible.”
How to Help
To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross has added more than 25,000 additional appointment slots at donation centers and community blood drives across the country over the next few weeks to accommodate more donors. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce the time it takes to donate.
Summer Months Lead to Shortage
Blood shortages often worsen around Independence Day due to fewer volunteer-hosted blood drives at places of work, worship or community gathering spaces, and this year is no exception. Nearly 700 fewer blood drives are scheduled during the Independence Day week than the weeks before and after the holiday.
Overall, the summer months are among the most challenging times of the year for blood and platelet donations, as regular donors delay giving while they vacation and participate in summer activities. In a recent survey of Red Cross blood donors, more than 73 percent indicated their vacation plans this summer may impact their ability to donate, with many vacations occurring the weeks before and after Independence Day.
New donors, as well as those who haven’t given in a while, are especially encouraged to roll up a sleeve and help save lives. Nearly one-third fewer new blood donors came out to give last summer than during the rest of the year due, in part, to schools – where many blood drives are held and where new donors often give – being out of session during the summer months.
Who Blood Donations Help
Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood donations every day for patients at approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country. The Penn-Jersey and Northeastern Pennsylvania Blood Services Regions must collect approximately 1,000 units of blood and platelets every day to meet patient and hospital demand.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities July 5-25
American Red Cross Blood Donation Center
Central New Jersey Donor Center
707 Alexander Road, Suite 701, Princeton Township
Tuesday: 11:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (whole blood & platelet pheresis)
FridaySunday: 7:15 a.m.-3 p.m. (whole blood & platelet pheresis)
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Mercer
Hamilton
7/25/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Nottingham Fire Company, 200 Mercer St.
Pennington
7/7/2017: 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Capital Health Medical Center-Hopewell, One Capital Way
Princeton
7/5/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Princeton University, Friend Center, 65 Olden St.
Titusville
7/11/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Johnson & Johnson, Titusville Campus, 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Road
7/20/2017: 7:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Johnson & Johnson, Titusville Campus, 1125 Trenton-Harbourton Road
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Monmouth
Tinton Falls
7/6/2017: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1540 W. Park Ave.
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Ocean
Bayville
7/14/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Faith Community United Methodist Church, 526 Route 9
Forked River
7/25/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., Lacey High School, 73 Haines St.
Lakewood
7/5/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Legion Post No. 166, 1256 River Ave.
Little Egg Harbor
7/19/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Great Bay Regional Volunteer EMS, 100 Oak Lane
Long Beach Township
7/20/2017: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. Francis Parish Center, 4700 Long Beach Blvd.
Normandy Beach
7/21/2017: 2:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Dover Brick Beach First Aid, 123 Second Ave.
Toms River
7/5/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., The Days Hotel by Wyndham, 290 Route 37 E.
7/19/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., The Days Hotel by Wyndham, 290 Route 37 E.
Waretown
7/25/2017: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m., Waretown United Methodist Church, 27 Bryant Road
Whiting
7/21/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., The Pines at Whiting, 509 Route 530
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Somerset
Basking Ridge
7/23/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 140 S. Finley Ave.
Raritan
7/13/2017: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., OMP Building, 1000 Route 202 S.
7/20/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., OMP Building, 1000 Route 202 S.
Skillman
7/6/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Johnson & Johnson-North, 199 Grandview Ave.
7/13/2017: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Johnson & Johnson-South, 199 Grandview Road
7/18/2017: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Johnson & Johnson-Orchard, Town Hall, 23 Orchard Road
Somerset
7/14/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Aon Hewitt, 400 Atrium Drive
Somerville
7/21/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Somerset Hills, 123 E. Cliff St.
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Union
Summit
7/17/2017: 2 p.m. – 7 p.m., American Red Cross, 695 Springfield Ave.
7/23/2017: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., In Honor of Max Blood Drive, Wilson Primary Center, 14 Beekman Terrace
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About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.

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