As part of an
international movement, the American Red Cross is launching the Missing
Types campaign today to recruit new blood donors--and those who have not
given recently--to ensure lifesaving blood is available for patients.
During the Missing
Types campaign, the letters A, B, and O--the main blood groups--will
disappear from brands, social media pages, signs and websites to illustrate
the critical role every blood donor plays. When the letters A, B, and O
vanish from everyday life, the gaps are striking. And when A, B, and O blood
types are missing from hospital shelves, patient care could be impacted.
“Unfortunately,
blood shortages still happen and the number of new Red Cross blood donors is
shrinking each year,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross
Blood Services.
“That’s why the Red
Cross is asking those who have never donated blood and those who haven’t
given in a while to make a lifesaving donation. You are the missing type
patients need.”
Don’t wait until
the letters A, B, and O go missing from hospital shelves. Join the #MissingType
movement today--make an appointment to give blood by visiting
RedCrossBlood.org/MissingTypes
You can also use
the Red Cross Blood Donor App or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
A recent survey,
conducted on behalf of the Red Cross, revealed a troubling disconnect
between the public’s perception of blood donations and the realities of
patient transfusion needs.
* Three-quarters
(74 percent) of the public underestimate how frequently blood transfusions
occur. Most people perceive blood is needed in the U.S. every 15 minutes or
even every hour or two hours when, in fact, someone in this country needs
blood every two seconds.
* Nearly half of
the public (45 percent) know someone who has been helped by a blood
transfusion. Yet only three percent of the U.S. population donates each
year.
* More than
one-third (35 percent) of the public has never considered that blood may not
be available when they or a loved one need it. Blood shortages are not
uncommon in the United States and can only be prevented when more people
roll up a sleeve to give.
* More than half
(53 percent) of the public believe they need to know their blood type to
donate. Potential blood donors do not need to know their blood type before
giving blood. After individuals give blood, the Red Cross provides each
donor their blood type. By joining the #MissingType movement, donors can
find out their blood type this summer.
Missing letters can
lead
to delays in
treatment
Lily Dotson and her
family know how serious blood shortages can be for patients. During Lily’s
two and a half years of treatment for high-risk leukemia, her family was
told twice that the hospital didn’t have the blood or platelets she needed
and that she would have to wait for transfusions.
It was incredibly
frustrating and eye-opening for Lily’s mom, Susie Dotson.
“People
automatically think blood is there. They don’t realize we’re relying on
their blood donation,” said Dotson. “Lily needed blood products just as much
as the chemo or the treatment.”
Lily, now 11, has
been cancer-free for four years and is preparing to enter middle school this
year.
Each day, blood and
platelets are needed for accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ
transplant patients, and those like Lily who are receiving treatment for
leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease.
The Red Cross must
collect more than 13,000 blood donations every day for patients at
approximately 2,600 hospitals across the country.
New donors needed
Every two seconds,
someone in the U.S. needs blood. But for the past four years, new Red Cross
donors have declined by about 80,000 each year. This is not just a Red Cross
trend, but a challenge blood collection organizations face across the
country and around the world.
Donating blood is a
simple process and only takes about an hour from start to finish.
* Registration:
Sign in, show ID and read required information.
* Health check:
Answer questions and receive a mini-physical.
* Donation: Giving
a pint of blood only takes about eight to 10 minutes.
* Refreshments:
Donors enjoy snacks and relax before resuming their day.
Upcoming blood
donation opportunities in locally from June 11 to July 3 are:
Chesterton
* June 21 from 12
p.m. to 6 p.m., St. Paul Lutheran Church, 106 E. 1100 N
* June 26 from 2
p.m. to 7 p.m., Liberty Bible Church, 824 North Calumet Avenue in Liberty
Township
* July 3 from 9
a.m. to 2 p.m., Chesterton Health and Emergency Center, 770 Indian Boundary
Road
* July 3 from 2
p.m. to 8 p.m., Franciscan Health Fitness Centers Chesterton, 810 Michael
Drive
Valparaiso
* June 15 from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m., Porter County Public Library, 103 Jefferson Street
* June 22 from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m., Opportunity Enterprises, 2801 Evans Avenue
* July 2 from 11
a.m. to 4 p.m., Ivy Tech Community College, 3100 Ivy Tech Drive
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 (16 with
parental consent where allowed by state law), 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.