YORK COUNTY — With summer on full swing, many people are thinking of vacation, however, the need for blood doesn’t take a break.

The American Red Cross is urging those elgible to give blood this summer to help ensure a sufficient blood supply. With many donors on vacation and schools that host blood drives on break, summer is an especially difficult time to collect enough blood donations to meet the needs of patients, according to a written statement from York County Red Cross Coordinator Robin Pierce.

The Red Cross must collect nearly 14,000 blood and platelet donations every day for patients at about 2,600 hospitals and transfusion centers nationwide, according to a press release from the American Red Cross. Accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients, and patients receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer or sickle cell disease may all require blood to save their lives. 

Donors can save time by completing their pre-donation reading and health history online before coming in for an appointment. For more information, go to www.redcrossblood.org/rapidpass.

Upcoming blood drives scheduled for York County:

• Biddeford – New Life Church, 551 Alfred St., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., July 11 and July 17.

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• Buxton – Buxton Town Hall, 185 Portland Road, 1 to 6 p.m., June 30; St. Andre Health Care, 407 Pool St., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 25.

• Kennebunk – St. Martha Church, 34 Portland Road, noon to 6 p.m., July 18.
Old Orchard Beach – Old Orchard Beach Town Hall, 1 Portland Ave., noon to 5 p.m., July 27.

• Saco – Central Fire Station, 271 North St., 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., July 1; Funtown Splashtown USA, 774 Portland Road, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., July 7; Elks Lodge #1597, 68 Ocean Park Road, noon to 5 p.m., July 12; Kindred Living at Monarch, 392 Main St., 1-6 p.m., July 26.

Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.


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