It’s SPOOOOOOKY Season and we’re OUT FOR BLOOD!
BUT it’s not as scary as it sounds! In fact, it’s an opportunity for you to roll up a sleeve and SAVE A LIFE!
It’s critically important that the American Red Cross maintains a readily available blood supply for patients. Please join us on Wednesday, October 19th for our 5th annual Out For Blood blood drive and help us keep the blood supply strong.
We’re bringing this blood drive to three different locations to make it easy for you to “roll up your sleeve” to help patients in need!
We’re calling all of you to join us on Wednesday, October 19that one of three locations around Maine including Portland, Auburn, and Windham.
With no substitute for blood and no way to manufacture it, volunteer donors are essential for hospital patients in need of transfusions. The Red Cross depends on volunteer donors to collect about 12,500 blood donations every day to meet hospital needs.
Make an appointment to join us on October 19th by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Be sure to use sponsor code “OUTFORBLOOD” to confirm your donation appointment.
It only takes about an hour to be a hero to a patient in need and we have you covered with convenient blood drive locations in Portland, Auburn, and Windham!
Some facts about WHY we need YOU!
· The Red Cross is the largest single supplier of blood and blood products in the U.S., managing approximately 40 percent of the blood supply.
· Every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood but only three out of every 100 people are blood donors. The Red Cross needs more donors!
· A single blood donation can help save as many as 3 lives
· The shelf life of a blood donation is just 42 days, that’s why the need for blood donations is constant.
· Blood can be donated safely every 8 weeks.
· Every day, the Red Cross must collect about 12,500 blood donations for patients at approximately 2,500 hospitals across the country.
· The Red Cross uses local blood donations to first meet the need of area hospitals, but can also provide blood whenever and wherever it’s needed throughout the country.
· The need for blood is constant, every two seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood.
· The blood type most often requested by hospitals is Type O
- Type O-Positive is the most common blood type so always in demand by hospitals
- Type O-Negative is often referred to as the “Universal Blood Type” and what emergency room personnel reach for when there is no time to determine the blood type of patients in the most serious situations
- Donors of ALL BLOOD TYPES are urged to give
· There is no other source of blood than a healthy, volunteer donor; unlike other medical treatments blood cannot be manufactured or stockpiled.
- Blood can be donated safely every 8 weeks, make it a habit, add it to your calendar – patients are counting on you
- The “shelf life of red blood cells is 42 days
· More than half of the public believes they need to know their blood type to give blood – this is not true; for those who don’t know their blood type you will find it out when you donate.
