Blood donations to the American Red Cross this summer are the lowest the organization has seen in more than a decade.
The Red Cross announced a nationwide blood shortage Monday, and the Northern New England Region issued an appeal for blood donors of all types.
“We want to make sure we have blood on the shelf for everyone in New England, in Maine, and across the states,” said Ellen Russell, the organization’s director of Maine relations.
The Northern New England region provides blood to more than 80 hospitals. More than 500 people must donate blood and platelets each weekday to meet that demand. This May and June, blood donations were 6 percent lower than what the Red Cross typically sees during those months. Russell said there are many contributing factors to the typical summer shortages: schools are out, people take vacations, and hot weather deters people from donating.
“We encourage people to make this a part of what they do and who they are, to do it several times a year,” Russell said.
“We try to make donating blood very easy to do. It takes less than 10 minutes to take the opportunity to really make a difference, to save someone’s life.”
Sharon Staples, a student at the University of New England, rolled up her sleeve and gave blood Tuesday in Portland. “I’ve seen firsthand how quickly people lose blood in emergency situations and how important it is to have blood nearby and accessible,” she said.
All blood types are needed, according to the Red Cross, but especially O negative, the universal type that can be used to treat any patient.
American Red Cross donation centers in Maine are in Portland, Lewiston and Bangor.
Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental permission in some states), meet weight and height requirements (110 pounds or more, depending on their height) and are in generally good health may be eligible.
For more information, call (800) RED CROSS, (800) 733-2767 or visit www.redcrossblood.org to make an appointment.
Staff Writer Colleen Stewart can be contacted at 791-6355 or at: cstewart@pressherald.com
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