Red Cross Calling for Emergency Blood Donations

The American Red Cross in Northeast Georgia is putting out an emergency call for donations of blood and blood platelets.

Nationwide, donations through the Red Cross are typically down this time of year.   American Red Cross spokesperson Kristen Stancil said summer is especially tough for hospitals and medical facilities because donations tend to be lower.

“We typically do see our numbers go down in the summer months because people go on vacation and they’re not making their summer appointments to donate,” Stancil said.

Blood can be safely donated every 56 days and platelets can be given safely every two weeks, up to 24 times a year.

But this year, the Red Cross has a new program that allows certain donors to give twice as much.  It’s called “Double Red Cell Day.”  

Stancil says with Double Red Cell Day a donor can give two pints of red cells at once through an automated process. She said the two pints of red cells are collected while your plasma and platelets are returned to you.

“If you  have types O Negative, B Negative, or A Negative, you may be able to donate double red cells,” Stancil said. “It does take a little bit longer to donate a double pint of blood. Usually it takes about an hour to donate a pint, but for a double red, it takes about an hour and a half.”

Also needed are blood platelets, which Stancil said provide much needed help for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

Stancil said 1,200 pints of blood and blood platelets are needed everyday to fill the demand in hospitals across Georgia

Most healthy people age 17 and older, or age 16 with parental consent, who weigh at least 110 pounds, are eligible to donate blood and platelets.

Donors who are 18 and younger must also meet specific height and weight requirements.

To get more information on ways to donate blood or platelets, you can visit the Red Cross web site at www.Redcrossblood.org.