With the number of blood donations falling more than 60,000 short of demand during the last quarter, the American Red Cross is reminding all eligible donors that their participation may be a matter of life or death.
Shaun Gilmore, president of Red Cross Biomedical Services, said in a release that blood supplies typically drop during mid-summer when blood-drive organizers are stretched thin.
“The decline in summer donations is causing a significant draw-down of our overall blood supply, and we urgently need people to give now to restock hospital shelves and help save lives,” Gilmore said in the release. “Everyday, patients recovering from accidents or those receiving treatments for cancer or blood disorders rely on lifesaving blood products regardless of the season.”
The release also said some 14,000 blood or platelet deposits must be routed daily to more than 2,500 hospitals across the U.S. to meet critical care needs.
