Someone needs your blood

Taken from the city website. A chance to help someone and win a trip.

Flooding Forces Blood Drive Cancellations on Eve of Holiday Weekend

Red Cross Asks that Donors Schedule Appointments to Avert Critical Shortage. The American Red Cross is urging all eligible donors to give blood to boost a low blood supply severely impacted by recent storms and flooding.

"We have lost thousands of potential blood donations over the last few days due to the flooding emergency," reported Red Cross Blood Services Senior Vice President Greg Vasse, "Due to falling blood inventories, the Red Cross is already rationing blood types O-Negative, A-negative and B-Negative in some areas." Vasse explained that many blood drives had to be cancelled due to the recent storms and flooding in the East. The forced cancellations come at time when summer collections typically decline 10% - 15%, especially around the 4th of July Holiday.

Historically, donation rates are very low around July 4th due to holiday travel and activities. This typically causes shortages as hospitals deal with patients brought in over the weekend and when normally scheduled surgeries and procedures resume on July 5th.

Due to the weather-related loss of blood collections and the anticipated tight blood supply in the days following the four-day Independence Day weekend, the American Red Cross is encouraging donors to give blood or platelets in the next 10 days.

As of June 29, the Red Cross's overall blood supply is just over 2 days. Five blood types, however, are near or below a 1.5-day supply: O positive, O negative, A negative, B negative, and AB negative. The Tennessee Valley Region of American Red Cross requires a 5-day supply to be considered safe. "If blood collections don't increase, we could be facing a national emergency by late next week," said Vasse.

Locally, in the Middle Tennessee area, blood supplies collections continue to drop. Linda Decker, of the Donor Resources Department of the local Red Cross, reports that on Friday, June 30 only 419 units of blood were collected. "We need to collect at least 800 units of blood every day just to make sure we have an adequate inventory for our hospitals. Obviously, that is not happening and it's very frightening. We always experience low collections in the summer months, but because of the flooding in the east, it's even more severe this year." We need the community's support. We need everyone to roll up their sleeves and donate blood. Our area patients are depending on us.


Please plan to donate blood on:

Wednesday, July 12th, 2006 from 10:30 - 3:30 at MTSU Rec Center Parking Lot

Tuesday, July 18th, 2006 from 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm at the Smyrna Community Blood Drive located at Smyrna Church of Christ, 112 Division Street

Everyone who participates in this blood drive who is not a member of the club will receive a week of free use of the facility. All members of the club who participate in the blood drive will receive a free smoothie. All participants will receive a limited edition patriotic t-shirt plus will have their name placed in a drawing for a trip to see the Tennessee Titans play the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field in Green Bay on September 1st. The package includes round trip air fair for two, two 50-yard line tickets and hotel accommodations all provided by Bellwether Travel.

2201 Charlotte Avenue
Nashville, TN 37203
Phone: (615) 346-7000; Fax: (615) 346-7006

If I did not have a bad habit of fainting I would go myself.