During Trauma Awareness Month in May, the American Red Cross urges eligible donors to help ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients with traumatic injuries and other serious medical needs by donating blood or platelets.
According to the National Trauma Institute, trauma accounts for approximately 41 million emergency department visits and 2.3 million hospital admissions in the U.S. annually.
“A single-car-accident victim can need as many as 100 units of blood,” said Amy Brown, donor recruitment director at Midwest Red Cross Blood Services. “In trauma situations, when there’s no time to check a patient’s blood type, emergency personnel reach for type O negative red blood cells and type AB plasma.”
O negative red blood cells and AB plasma can be transfused into any patient, regardless of blood type, making donors with these universal blood types an important part of the Red Cross trauma team. Less than 7 percent of the population has type O negative blood, and only about 4 percent of the population has type AB blood.
Platelets may also be needed to help with clotting in cases of massive bleeding. Because platelets must be transfused within five days of donation, there is a constant, often critical, need to keep up with hospital demand.
Blood and platelet donors of all types are currently needed. Those who come out to donate blood or platelets by May 14 will have a chance to win one of three $1,000 gift card shopping sprees from GiftCertificates.com.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
• From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 2 at First Presbyterian Church, 907 Grove Ave., in Corning
• From 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 9 at First Christian Church, 201 W. Monroe St., in Mount Ayr
• From noon to 6 p.m. May 4 at American Legion Hall, 106 W. Ohio St., in Lenox
• From 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10 at Creston High School, 601 W. Townline St., in Creston
How to help
Eligible donors can learn more, find a donation opportunity and schedule an appointment by using the free Blood Donor App, visiting www.redcrossblood.org or calling 800-RED CROSS (800-733-2767). 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 in most 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.
Blood donors can save time at their donation appointment by using RapidPass to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit www.redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.