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AMERICAN RED CROSS MAKES EMERGENCY APPEAL FOR BLOOD AND PLATELET DONORS

Donors Needed Now To Ensure Supply For Summer

(Gastonia, NC, July 5, 2005) -- The American Red Cross is appealing to people to give blood now due to the critically low levels in the blood supply.  National blood inventory levels have dropped well below a safe and adequate supply.  All eligible blood and platelet donors are urged to visit their local blood donor centers to insure a sufficient blood supply is available for patients in need.

While donors of all blood types are needed, there is a particular need for donors with blood types O and B.  The blood levels for these two types are critical.  Type O blood is extremely important as it can be given to anyone regardless of their blood type and is crucial in hospital emergency rooms when there is not time to determine a patient’s blood type.  Approximately forty-five percent of the population has type O blood and this group is urged to donate right away. The following is the Gaston County drives being held in the next week:

Sat. July   9                   Westfield Shoppingtown Eastridge, 246 N. New Hope, Gastonia

                                                  11:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Mon. July 11                 R.L. Stowe YMCA-Belmont, 196 YMCA Dr., Belmont

                                                  3:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Mon. July 11                 First Baptist, 107 E. Washington, Bessemer City

                                                  2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

 “The summer months create one of the most critical times for donors to give blood,” said Robert F. Fechner, chief executive officer of the Carolinas Blood Services Region.  “While collections tend to decrease in the summer, injuries do not.  An emergency room can use between four and forty units of blood to treat a single victim of a car accident.”

Donations always drop during the summer months due to people traveling and schools being out for the summer.  The Carolinas Blood Services Region of the American Red Cross distributes blood to 103 hospitals and needs approximately 1500 donors every day to help meet patients’ needs. 

Blood donors must be age 17 or older and weigh at least 110 pounds.  Because blood cells replace themselves, people can safely donate every 56 days.  For the convenience of donors, the Carolinas Region operates ten blood donation centers and conducts more than 35 mobile operations daily.  For more information and to find out how to make a donation appointment, please call the Gaston County Chapter at 704-864-2623

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© 2002 American Red Cross, Gaston County Chapter
190 S. Oakland Street | Gastonia, NC  28052
(704) 864-2623 | (704) 864-7904 (fax)

www.redcross.org