Urgent need for blood donors with types O, A negative and B negative
As severe wiinter weather begins to subside, the American Red Cross is asking all eligible blood and platelet donors to help offset a weather-related shortfall in donations.
Since the beginning of January, winter storms and freezing temperatures have resulted in more than 600 Red Cross blood drive cancellations and nearly 20,000 uncollected blood and platelet donations. In Virginia and North Carolina, severe winter weather forced the cancellation of over fifty Red Cross blood drives, resulting over 1,700 fewer than expected blood and platelet donations over the past three days.
“It’s the blood products already on the shelves that help save lives when severe weather hits,” said Page Gambill, CEO of the Red Cross Mid-Atlantic/Appalachian Blood Services Region. “Thanks to generous Red Cross blood and platelet donors, blood products were available for patients who still needed transfusions despite the weather. Now we invite those previously ‘frozen out’ from giving blood or platelets to come in soon.”
Platelet donors, as well as blood donors with the most in-demand blood types — O positive and negative, A negative and B negative — are urgently needed to give blood in the days and weeks ahead to offset the shortfall.
Platelets, a key clotting component of blood often needed by cancer patients, must be transfused within five days of donation, so donations are constantly needed. Red blood cells, the oxygen carrying component of blood, are the most widely transfused blood product and must be transfused within 42 days.
Upcoming blood donation opportunities:
|
Drive Date |
Account Name | Site Address | City |
Drive Times |
|
| 02/01/14 | Forest Public Library | 15583 Forest Road | Forest |
8:30 am – 1:00 pm |
|
| 02/01/14 | New River Valley Blood Donation Center | 250 South Main Street | Blacksburg |
10:00 am – 2:00 pm |
|
| 02/04/14 | Mary Bethune Complex | 1030 Cowford Road | Halifax |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/04/14 | Sweet Briar College | 123 Power Plant Circle | Sweet Briar |
10:30 am – 3:30 pm |
|
| 02/04/14 | Rotary Field | 150 Woodland Drive | Stuart |
12:30 pm – 6:30 pm |
|
| 02/04/14 | New River Valley Blood Donation Center | 250 South Main Street | Blacksburg |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/06/14 | Antioch Baptist Church | 6700 Barnesville Highway | Red Oak |
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/06/14 | Liberty Fair Mall Blood Donation Center | 240 Commonwealth Avenue | Martinsville |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/07/14 | Lowes | 150 James River Shopping Center | Madison Heights |
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/07/14 | Lowes | 8216 Timberlake Road | Lynchburg |
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/07/14 | Lynchburg Blood Donation Center | 1900 Tate Springs Road | Lynchburg |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/07/14 | Floyd United Methodist Church | 417 E Main Street | Floyd |
11:00 am – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/08/14 | Church of Jesus Christ of Later-Day Saints | 110 Melinda Drive | Lynchburg |
9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
|
| 02/08/14 | Snow Creek Rescue Squad | 7049 Snow Creek Road | Penhook |
9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
|
| 02/08/14 | Evangel Church | 2360 Hardy Road | Vinton |
9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
|
| 02/09/14 | Thrasher Mem United Methodist Church | 707 E. Washington Avenue | Vinton |
9:00 am – 1:00 pm |
|
| 02/10/14 | Bethlehem United Methodist Church | 13586 Moneta Road | Moneta |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/10/14 | Bedford Baptist Church | 1516 Oakwood Street | Bedford |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/10/14 | Roanoke Valley Blood Donation Center | 352 Church Avenue SW | Roanoke |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/11/14 | Forest Presbyterian Church | 1226 Two Church Lane | Forest |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/11/14 | Bethel Baptist Church | 1601 Colorado Street | Salem |
3:00 pm – 7:00 pm |
|
| 02/11/14 | Clifton Forge Moose Lodge 1683 | 2315 Douthat Park Road | Clifton Forge |
1:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/11/14 | New River Valley Blood Donation Center | 250 South Main Street | Blacksburg |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/12/14 | Averett College | 420 West Main Street | Danville |
11:00 am – 4:00 pm |
|
| 02/12/14 | New River Community College Edwards Hall | 5251 College Drive | Dublin |
11:00 am – 4:00 pm |
|
| 02/12/14 | Franklin County Family YMCA | 235 Technology Drive | Rocky Mount |
9:00 am – 3:00 pm |
|
| 02/12/14 | Norfolk Southern | 110 Franklin Road SE | Roanoke |
8:30 am – 12:30 pm |
|
| 02/12/14 | St Johns Episcopal Church | 1 Mountain Avenue | Roanoke |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/13/14 | Waynesboro Moose Lodge 1309 | 1309 Hopeman Parkway | Waynesboro |
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/13/14 | Holiday Shopping Center | 1910 Virginia Avenue | Collinsville |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/13/14 | Garden City Baptist Church | 3536 Garden City Boulevard | Roanoke |
1:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/13/14 | Roanoke Valley Blood Donation Center | 352 Church Avenue SW | Roanoke |
7:30 am – 1:30 pm |
|
| 02/14/14 | Lynchburg Blood Donation Center | 1900 Tate Springs Road | Lynchburg |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/14/14 | Virginia Tech Lee Hall | Washington Street | Blacksburg |
12:00 pm – 6:00 pm |
|
| 02/14/14 | Martinsville Masonic Lodge | 700 Starling Avenue | Martinsville |
12:00 pm – 5:00 pm |
|
| 02/14/14 | Radford City Library | 30 West Main Street | Radford |
11:00 am – 3:00 pm |
|
| 02/15/14 | First United Methodist Church | 225 Fulcher Street | Hillsville |
10:00 am – 2:00 pm |
|
| 02/15/14 | Radford University | 1 Fairfax Street | Radford |
11:00 am – 3:00 pm |
For platelet donations, please call 1-866-353-1030 to make an appointment.
How to donate blood
Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment or for more information. A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age (16 with parental consent in some states), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.