No vacation for blood needs-remember to give during summer months
Every year it happens.
The calendar turns to May and poof…it’s summer. While summer can be a glorious time, it can also be a deadly time, especially since blood donations tend to fall during those months. It is never intentional, but many donors become busy with seasonal activities and vacations and just forget to donate blood on their usual schedule. For this reason, it is important for eligible donors to make and keep appointments to give blood in the summer months.
Katy Berger, local communications associate for the American Red Cross, said that summer is one of the most critical time periods for the blood supply and for many reasons.
“The American Red Cross tends to see a dip in blood donations during the summer due to a number of factors,” she shared. “Donors become busy with other summer activities and travel and sometimes neglect to donate blood. Also, about 20 percent of the blood collected in our region comes from high school and college blood drives. During the summer when school is out these students aren’t giving at their regularly scheduled blood drives because they are on summer break and out of the routine.”
Unfortunately, the need for blood never takes a vacation and there is no substitute for it. Berger wants to remind everyone of this fact and encourage regular donors to continue making their appointments throughout the summer months and new donors to sign up this summer as well.
While all blood types are needed during the critical summer months, Type O negative is always in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations. Believe it or not, an individual with Type O negative blood can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and an all-out summer shortage.
“All blood types are needed on an ongoing basis,” Berger explained. “However, Type O negative blood is the type that is most requested by hospitals because it can be used in emergency situations when a patient’s blood type is unknown. Type O negative donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a summer shortage. But regardless what a person’s blood type is, there is a patient somewhere who is depending on them. All blood types are needed everyday.”
Giving blood can be a scary thought to a new donor, but Berger said it is much easier than anyone would think. It’s also fairly quick and takes little effort.
“Donating blood is a fairly simple and easy process and takes about one hour of time from start to finish,” she said. “It begins with the registration process in which the donor will present their Red Cross blood donor card or photo ID. Then they’ll read through some important information about blood donation. After that, the donor will move to a confidential health history consultation where they will answer questions about their medical history, any medications they might be taking and they’ll also have their pulse, temperature and iron level checked to ensure they’re healthy to give that day.”
After all the preliminary information is gathered, the donor is made comfortable as the blood is collected. Replenishing local inventories of blood is an important part of what Red Cross officials do every day and having enough donors makes things run much smoother.
“In times of need to quickly replenish local inventories, the American Red Cross has a national inventory management to deliver blood supplies from Red Cross donors in other parts of the country, including our own neighboring states,” Berger added. “However, it is the blood on the shelves that helps save lives, which is why it is so vital that the northern Ohio region community gives blood as often as they’re able.”
In addition to the fact that people become more busy in the summer and schools are on break, there is also more traveling and more accidents, which increases the need for blood. Berger thinks the increase in accidents is another reason why it’s so important for donors to stay on schedule.
“That is why it is so important to donate blood regularly, to ensure that blood is available when and where it is needed most,” she said.
In our local area, the following blood drives will be available for anyone wishing to donate. To schedule an appointment, call 800-RED-CROSS.
- June 24 - Zion Reformed Church Annex, 2088 SR 62, noon to 7 p.m.
- June 25 - Mt. Hope Auction site, 8076 SR 241, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- June 27 - American Legion Post 67, 10094 Shreve Road, 1-7 p.m.
- June 28 - Berlin Hickory Smokehouse, 5324 CR 201, 2-6 p.m.
- June 28 - Eli Stutzman’s shop, 33350 SR 643, 2-7 p.m.
- June 29 - Holmes County Library, 3102 Glen Drive, noon to 4 p.m.
- June 30 - Clark Presbyterian Church, 1392 SR 83, 2-7 p.m.
The calendar turns to May and poof…it’s summer. While summer can be a glorious time, it can also be a deadly time, especially since blood donations tend to fall during those months. It is never intentional, but many donors become busy with seasonal activities and vacations and just forget to donate blood on their usual schedule. For this reason, it is important for eligible donors to make and keep appointments to give blood in the summer months.
Katy Berger, local communications associate for the American Red Cross, said that summer is one of the most critical time periods for the blood supply and for many reasons.
“The American Red Cross tends to see a dip in blood donations during the summer due to a number of factors,” she shared. “Donors become busy with other summer activities and travel and sometimes neglect to donate blood. Also, about 20 percent of the blood collected in our region comes from high school and college blood drives. During the summer when school is out these students aren’t giving at their regularly scheduled blood drives because they are on summer break and out of the routine.”
Unfortunately, the need for blood never takes a vacation and there is no substitute for it. Berger wants to remind everyone of this fact and encourage regular donors to continue making their appointments throughout the summer months and new donors to sign up this summer as well.
While all blood types are needed during the critical summer months, Type O negative is always in high demand because it can be transfused to patients with any blood type, especially in emergency situations. Believe it or not, an individual with Type O negative blood can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and an all-out summer shortage.
“All blood types are needed on an ongoing basis,” Berger explained. “However, Type O negative blood is the type that is most requested by hospitals because it can be used in emergency situations when a patient’s blood type is unknown. Type O negative donors can make the difference between an adequate blood supply and a summer shortage. But regardless what a person’s blood type is, there is a patient somewhere who is depending on them. All blood types are needed everyday.”
Giving blood can be a scary thought to a new donor, but Berger said it is much easier than anyone would think. It’s also fairly quick and takes little effort.
“Donating blood is a fairly simple and easy process and takes about one hour of time from start to finish,” she said. “It begins with the registration process in which the donor will present their Red Cross blood donor card or photo ID. Then they’ll read through some important information about blood donation. After that, the donor will move to a confidential health history consultation where they will answer questions about their medical history, any medications they might be taking and they’ll also have their pulse, temperature and iron level checked to ensure they’re healthy to give that day.”
After all the preliminary information is gathered, the donor is made comfortable as the blood is collected. Replenishing local inventories of blood is an important part of what Red Cross officials do every day and having enough donors makes things run much smoother.
“In times of need to quickly replenish local inventories, the American Red Cross has a national inventory management to deliver blood supplies from Red Cross donors in other parts of the country, including our own neighboring states,” Berger added. “However, it is the blood on the shelves that helps save lives, which is why it is so vital that the northern Ohio region community gives blood as often as they’re able.”
In addition to the fact that people become more busy in the summer and schools are on break, there is also more traveling and more accidents, which increases the need for blood. Berger thinks the increase in accidents is another reason why it’s so important for donors to stay on schedule.
“That is why it is so important to donate blood regularly, to ensure that blood is available when and where it is needed most,” she said.
In our local area, the following blood drives will be available for anyone wishing to donate. To schedule an appointment, call 800-RED-CROSS.
- June 24 - Zion Reformed Church Annex, 2088 SR 62, noon to 7 p.m.
- June 25 - Mt. Hope Auction site, 8076 SR 241, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
- June 27 - American Legion Post 67, 10094 Shreve Road, 1-7 p.m.
- June 28 - Berlin Hickory Smokehouse, 5324 CR 201, 2-6 p.m.
- June 28 - Eli Stutzman’s shop, 33350 SR 643, 2-7 p.m.
- June 29 - Holmes County Library, 3102 Glen Drive, noon to 4 p.m.
- June 30 - Clark Presbyterian Church, 1392 SR 83, 2-7 p.m.
Published: June 19, 2011
