Red Cross faces worst blood shortage in more than a decade. Here’s how you can donate
The American Red Cross is grappling with its worst blood supply shortage in more than a decade. Meanwhile, Kansas City area blood banks are also desperate for donors.
Before tornadoes ripped through parts of the Midwest earlier this month, the Red Cross was already experiencing a “dangerously low blood supply,” according to a recent news release.
Now, some hospitals have been forced to defer major surgeries, including organ transplants, scheduled for patients, according to the Red Cross.
They aren’t the only ones in need of more donors.
In early December, the Community Blood Center, a blood bank in Kansas City, announced that the local blood supply had dropped to emergency levels for the fourth time this year.
They put out a call to action on Dec. 6, after the region’s blood inventory dropped to only a one-to-two day supply. Ideally, there should be about seven days worth of blood on hand, according to their website.
Community Blood Center attributed this “alarming trend” to various factors — most having to do with the pandemic— including fewer scheduled drives (especially at high schools), more people staying home and concerns about the variants.
Blood shortages across the country have been in headlines since the coronavirus entered the U.S.
With or without the pandemic, winter is often a slower blood donation season, with many people on holiday, traveling and dealing with flu season.
“Normally, October and November are a time where we build our inventory in anticipation of these challenges,” Patsy Shipley, Executive Director of Community Blood Center, said in a recent news release. “But this year is especially dire without a solid inventory pre-holiday and the news of a new variant.”
How to donate
To give blood through Community Blood Center or the American Red Cross, you must be at least 17 years old (donors can be as young as 16, with parental consent), weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good health on the day of the donation.
Eligible donors can schedule an appointment through the Community Blood Center by calling 1-877-468-6844 or by going to www.savealifenow.org. Appointments can be made through the Red Cross by calling 1-800-733-2767 or by visiting https://www.redcross.org/give-blood.html.
Upcoming blood drives in Kansas City
Blood drives are frequently scheduled across the metro. Here are some of the many opportunities to donate in the next week:
Community Blood Centers:
- Monday from 1 to 6 p.m. at the North Kansas City Community Parks and Recreation Center.
- Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the University of Kansas Health System KU MedWest in Shawnee.
- Tuesday from 12:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the University of Kansas Medical Center.
- Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. at The Kirk of Kansas City Presbyterian Church.
- Wednesday from 1 to 6 p.m. at the Parkville Presbyterian Church.
- Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. at Crane Brewing in Raytown.
A full list of drives and donation centers through Community Blood Center can be found here.
American Red Cross:
- Tuesday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Christ Church Anglican Mission in Mission.
- Tuesday from 1 to 6 p.m. at Raytown Chapel United Methodist Church.
- Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Sylvester Powell Jr. Community Center in Mission.
- Wednesday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. at Oak Park Branch in Overland Park.
- Thursday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Genesis Health Clubs on East Frontage Road in Mission.
- Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at KU Eye Center on State Line Road in Prairie Village.
- Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the American Red Cross of Greater Kansas City on Winchester Avenue.
- Thursday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Red Bridge Shopping Center.
A full list of upcoming drives through the American Red Cross can be found here.
This story was originally published December 20, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
