August is National Wellness Month, and the American Red Cross is encouraging folks to prioritize their personal health and well-being while also helping to save lives amongst an urgent need for blood donations.
“The need for Type O, O-positive and O-negative, is in an emergency need right now,” said American Red Cross Account Manager Tammy Ritchie. “Transfusions are happening when needed, but because that is the most common blood type, it is also the most needed, and in an emergency situation, that is what’s going to be transfused until we know that patient’s blood type.”
High school and college students make up 20 to 25 percent of blood donations, but as students head back to school, donating blood may not be top of mind right now, so the Red Cross is looking for others to step up to help maintain the blood supply.
“We are trying to get into our schools here in September and October to try to get things evened out, but right now, we just need to encourage anybody who’s out there who would be willing to come and donate blood,” Ritchie said. “It is a very safe and simple process, and once you do it one time, you always come up with ‘Wow, that’s not bad at all. I’ll continue to do that.’”
Special incentives are available to donors during the month of August.
“We are giving a $15 e-gift card to the merchant of their choice, as well as anyone who completes the donation will get a diabetes A1C testing that will help them to make sure they’re healthy, that their blood sugar is where they need it to be,” Ritchie said.
Visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter your zip code to find blood drives near you.
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