Low donor participation, recent hurricane spawns national blood shortage

When Idalia slammed into the Southeast — leading to widespread power outages, travel hazards and flooding — the storm forced over a dozen blood drives and caused hundreds of blood and platelet donations to go uncollected. This compounded a shortfall of about 30,000 donations in August. Right now, blood product distributions to hospitals are outpacing the number of blood donations coming in.

Donors of all blood types are urgently needed at this time and there is an emergency need for platelet donors and type O blood donors to make an appointment to give now to ensure patients across the country continue to receive critical medical care as we enter fall.

The American Red Cross urges donors across the nation to schedule an appointment. Doing so is easy either by downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App in your local App Store, visiting the American Red Cross website or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

To show thanks for helping rebuild the blood supply, all who come to give between now and Sept. 18 will receive a limited edition Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last. Those who come to give throughout the month September will also receive a coupon for a free haircut by email, thanks to Sport Clips Haircuts. Plus, donors will be automatically entered for a chance to win a VIP NASCAR racing experience. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/RaceToGive.

Here in McDowell County two blood donation drives will take place in September. The first will be on Wednesday, Sept. 20, at Nebo Crossing at 263 Barnes Road in Marion from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The second donation drive will be on Friday, Sept. 29, from 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the West McDowell Middle School cafeteria located at 346 West McDowell Jr. High Road in Marion.

September is Sickle Cell Awareness Month

One in 3 African American blood donors is a match for people with sickle cell disease. To help ensure patients have the blood products they need, the Red Cross launched the Sickle Cell Initiative in 2021 to grow the number of blood donors who are Black and improve health outcomes for patients. Together longtime and first-time blood donors are helping patients with sickle cell manage their symptoms and showing support for their community.

Joined by Blood is the initiative’s focus during Sickle Cell Awareness Month in September and continues through October. This year, the Red Cross is proud to partner with organizations focused on mentorship, including 100 Black Men of America, Inc.; Kier’s Hope Foundation Inc.; historically Black colleges and universities and member organizations of the National Pan-Hellenic Council; as well as the Black Radio Hall of Fame and others, who are all showing up for patients with sickle cell by hosting blood drives. To learn more, visit RedCrossBlood.org/OurBlood.