Red Cross issues emergency call for blood

Significant blood shortages

The American Red Cross has issued an emergency call for blood and platelets, urging all eligible donors to give now to replenish an extremely low summer blood supply.

 

Blood donations have fallen short of hospital needs for the past few months, resulting in about 39,000 fewer donations than what’s needed, as well as a significant draw down of the overall Red Cross blood supply. In addition, the Independence Day holiday may have caused many regular donors to postpone donations due to vacation plans. A recent Red Cross poll revealed that more than 75 percent of donors surveyed indicated vacation plans this summer, many of them occurring the weeks before and after July 4.

 

“Right now, blood products are being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in, which is why we are making this emergency request for donations,” said Tammy Kikuchi Nakamura, external communications manager of the Lewis and Clark blood services region. “Donations are urgently needed now to meet the needs of hospital patients in the coming days and weeks. If you’ve thought about giving blood and helping to save lives, now is the time to do it. It’s the blood donations on the shelves that help save lives when an emergency occurs.”

 

How to Help

To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). The Red Cross is extending hours at many donation sites to allow for more donors to make an appointment to give. Donation appointments and completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to avoid longer wait times. Donors with all blood types are needed.

 

Those unable to give can still help by encouraging others to give through a SleevesUp virtual blood drive at redcrossblood.org/sleevesup, giving of their time through volunteerism or making a financial donation to support Red Cross humanitarian work across the country and around the world.

 

Who Blood Donations Help

Every two seconds in the United States blood and platelets are needed to respond to patient emergencies, including accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant procedures, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease. The Red Cross must collect approximately 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide.

 

Because of generous donors, the Red Cross is able to provide blood products to patients like 11-year-old Mae Rainey, who needs regular blood transfusions as part of her treatment for a blood disorder.

“I am very grateful for the opportunities that the Red Cross has given us to get her to her healthiest state,” said Caleb Rainey, Mae’s older brother.

 

Watch Mae’s story to learn how blood donations can make a lifesaving difference.

 

Upcoming Red Cross blood donation opportunities in Montana

Cascade

 

Belt

7/19/2016: 1:45 p.m. - 6 p.m., Golden Valley Home, 400 Millard

 

Great Falls

7/5/2016: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Department of Transportation, 200 Smelter Avenue NE

7/5/2016: 12 p.m. - 4 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/6/2016: 12:45 p.m. - 5 p.m., Vision Net, 1309 Northwest Bypass

7/6/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/7/2016: 8 a.m. - 12:15 p.m., First Interstate Bank, 12 3rd Street NW

7/7/2016: 12 p.m. - 4:30 p.m., Broadwater Station, Broadwater Station, 300 Park drive south

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/11/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/15/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/18/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/19/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m., Embark Credit Union, 1500 River Drive North

7/20/2016: 11:45 a.m. - 4 p.m., Easter Seals Goodwill, 425 1st Ave North

7/21/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., Liberty Center, 8 3rd Street North

7/21/2016: 1 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Leaders Save Lives, 1300 28th Street South

7/22/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

7/25/2016: 9 a.m. - 1 p.m., Benefis Healthcare East, 1101 26th Street South

7/25/2016: 10 a.m. - 5 p.m., Benefits Health System West, 500 15th Avenue South

7/25/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Great Falls Blood Donation Center, 1300 28th Street South

_______________

 

Flathead

 

Bigfork

7/6/2016: 11 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Glacier Bank (Bigfork), 8251 MT Hwy 35

 

Columbia Falls

7/7/2016: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., North Valley Community Center, 235 Nucleus Ave

 

Kalispell

7/5/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/6/2016: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/11/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/12/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., US Forest Service Offices, 650 Wolfpack Way

7/13/2016: 10 a.m. - 3:15 p.m., Flathead Electric Co-op, 2510 Hwy 2 East

7/14/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Flathead Valley Community College, 777 Grandview

7/15/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/18/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/18/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 5:45 p.m., Trinity Lutheran Church, 495 5th Ave WN

7/20/2016: 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Immanuel Lutheran Communities, 185 Crestline Ave

7/22/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

7/23/2016: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Fresh Life Church, 126 North Meridian

7/25/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Kalispell Blood Donation Center, 126 North Meridian Road

 

Whitefish

7/19/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., National Parks Realty, 601 Spokane Ave

7/21/2016: 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., The Wave, 1250 Baker Ave

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Gallatin

 

Big Sky

7/5/2016: 12:15 p.m. - 6 p.m., Big Sky Fire Department, 650 Rainbow Trout Run

 

Bozeman

7/5/2016: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/6/2016: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Child Care Connections, 1600 Ellis Street, Unit 1A

7/7/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Montana State University Student Union Building, MSU-SUB

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/11/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/12/2016: 12 p.m. - 5 p.m., Spring Creek Inn Memory Care Community, 1641 Hunters Way

7/14/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Elixiter, 113 E Oak ST #3a

7/15/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/18/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/21/2016: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Hope Lutheran Church, 2152 W. Graf Street

7/22/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

7/24/2016: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., The Emerson, 111 S Grand Ave.

7/25/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Bozeman Blood Donation Center, 300 North Willson

 

Gallatin Gateway

7/25/2016: 2 p.m. - 6:15 p.m., Gateway Community Center, 145 Mill Street

 

Manhattan

7/18/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Stockman Bank, 100 East Wooden Shoe Lane

_______________

 

Glacier

 

Cut Bank

7/20/2016: 12 p.m. - 6 p.m., St. Margarets Catholic Church, 129 2nd Ave S.E.

_______________

 

Jefferson

 

Whitehall

7/13/2016: 11 a.m. - 5:30 p.m., Whitehall Community, 102 Brooke Street

_______________

 

Lake

 

Arlee

7/19/2016: 10:30 a.m. - 6:15 p.m., Arlee Senior Center, Center Street

 

Charlo

7/6/2016: 11:30 a.m. - 6 p.m., Charlo High School, 405 1st Ave West

 

Ronan

7/21/2016: 11 a.m. - 5 p.m., St. Luke Community Hospital, 107 6th Ave SW

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Lewis and Clark

 

Fort Harrison

7/7/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., National Guard Armory / HAFRC Ctr, National Guard Armory, 1956 Mt. Majo Street

 

Helena

7/5/2016: 12:30 p.m. - 4:45 p.m., Touchmark on Saddle Drive, 915 Saddle Drive

7/5/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/6/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Dept of Fish, Wildlife and Parks, 1420 East 6th Avenue

7/6/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/7/2016: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m., Helena College University of Montana, 1115 North Roberts

7/8/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., St Peter's Hospital, 2475 Broadway

7/10/2016: 9 a.m. - 2:15 p.m., Our Redeemer's Lutheran Church, 3580 N. Benton Ave.

7/12/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/13/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., St. Paul's United Methodist Church, 512 Logan Street

7/13/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/15/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/18/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., First Student, 3020 Big Sky Loop

7/18/2016: 10 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Helena Association of Realtors, 2707 Colonial Dr.

7/19/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/20/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., Capitol Building, Capitol Building, 1301 E. 6th St.

7/20/2016: 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m., AAA MountainWest, 2100 11th Avenue

7/22/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m., Helena Blood Donation Center, 3150 N. Montana Avenue, Ste. B

7/25/2016: 9 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Department of Transportation, 2701 Prospect

 

Lincoln

7/14/2016: 9:30 a.m. - 3 p.m., Lincoln Community Center, 404 Main

_______________

 

Missoula

 

Bonner

7/11/2016: 2:30 p.m. - 7 p.m., Potomac Greenough Community Center, 29827 Potomac Road

 

Condon

7/20/2016: 1:30 p.m. - 6 p.m., Swan Valley Community Hall, Glacier Creek Road, PO Box 1039

 

Missoula

7/5/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/7/2016: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/7/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Holy Spirit Parish, 130 South 6th Street East

7/8/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/11/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/12/2016: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/13/2016: 10 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Village Health Care, 2651 South Avenue

7/13/2016: 1 p.m. - 6:30 p.m., First Lutheran Church, 2808 South Avenue West

7/15/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/18/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/19/2016: 10 a.m. - 3 p.m., University of Montana Continuing Ed Building, The University of Montana, 32 Campus Way

7/22/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

7/24/2016: 10 a.m. - 2 p.m., Fresh Life Church, 3535 W Broadway St

7/25/2016: 2 p.m. - 6 p.m., Missoula Blood Donation Center, 2401 North Reserve Street, Suites 6 and 7

 

Seeley Lake

7/14/2016: 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m., Seeley Lake LDS Church, Redwood Lane

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Ravalli

 

Darby

7/25/2016: 9 a.m. - 3 p.m., Darby Community Clubhouse, 106 North Main

 

Hamilton

7/12/2016: 1 p.m. - 6 p.m., Grace Lutheran Church, 275 Hattie Lane

 

About the American Red Cross

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or cruzrojaamericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.