3 easy steps to becoming a Red Cross summer blood donor

Graphic courtesy of the American Red Cross, St. George News

ST. GEORGE — The American Red Cross urges eligible donors to give blood this summer for hospital patients in need and offers three easy steps people can take to help save lives.

  1. Schedule – Use the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment.
  2. Prepare – Get a good night’s sleep, eat a nutritious meal and drink extra fluids.
  3. Give – The donation process, start to finish, takes about an hour. The actual donation only takes about 10 minutes.

Only about 3 percent of the U.S. population gives blood, which means a heavy reliance on repeat donors to maintain a sufficient blood supply. New blood donors are especially needed during the summer months because many schools where blood drives are held – and where new donors give – are not in session and current donors often delay giving due to summer vacations.

Patients like Anna Schuster might not be here without generous volunteer blood donors, the Red Cross said in a prepared statement. Doctors gave Schuster a 1 percent chance of survival after a collision with a semitrailer. During the first 12 hours after her accident, she received 65 units of blood. Schuster’s road to recovery has been long – 58 surgeries in the 12 years since her accident, including four in the past 14 months, with many of them requiring more blood transfusions.

Every day there are thousands of patients like Schuster who rely on lifesaving blood donations. That’s why donors are urged to give now and give often, the Red Cross emphasized in its statement.

In June, the Red Cross joins blood collection agencies around the world marking World Blood Donor Day by raising awareness about the need for a readily available blood supply. Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Donors can make an even greater impact by inviting others to join them in giving.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities by county:

Washington

Enterprise

  • June 20: 2 p.m. – 8 p.m., Enterprise LDS Stake 4th and 5th Ward Building, 620 East Main.

Hurricane

  • June 26: 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Hurricane Community Center, 63 S. 100 West.

Leeds

  • June 24: 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., Leeds LDS Chapel, 75 N. Main.

St. George

  • June 16: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • June 19: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • June 23: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • June 23: 11:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Santa Clara Library Branch, Santa Clara Branch – Library, 1099 N. Lava Flow Drive.
  • June 26: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • June 27: 11 a.m. – 3 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • June 28: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Rustic Drive Chapel, 1905 E. Rustic Drive.
  • June 30: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • July 3: 9:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Hilton Garden Inn St. George, 1731 S. Convention Center Drive.
  • July 3: 1 p.m. – 6 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • July 5: 1 p.m. – 6:30 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • July 7: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., St. George Blood Donation Center, 476 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B6.
  • July 7: 11:30 a.m. – 6 p.m., St. George Recreation Center, 265 S. 400 East.

Washington

  • June 19: 4 p.m. – 8:15 p.m., Washington City Community Center, 350 N. Community Center Drive.

Iron

Cedar City

  • June 17: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m., Hampton Inn – Cedar City, 1145 S. Bentley Blvd.
  • June 27: 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Cedar City Hospital, 1303 N. Main.
  • June 29: 2 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., Enoch LDS West Stake center, 3575 N. Minersville Highway.

Kanarraville

  • June 22: 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Kanarraville Chapel, 80 S. Main Street.

Kane

Duck Creek Village

  • July 1: 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Fire Department, 3620 Mammoth Creek Road.

Kanab

  • June 21: 1:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Kanab LDS Stake Center, 50 W. Center.

Emery

Castle Dale

  • June 20: 1 p.m. – 7 p.m., Castledale LDS Stake Center, 32 N. Center.

How to help

Simply download the American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) to make an appointment or for more information. All blood types are needed to ensure a reliable supply for patients. 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 in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), 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.

Blood donors can now save time at their next donation by using RapidPass to complete their predonation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, prior to arriving at the blood drive. To get started and learn more, visit redcrossblood.org/RapidPass and follow the instructions on the site.

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5 Comments

  • comments June 14, 2017 at 6:26 pm

    Never can figure it out. They are always claiming they are short on blood. If you ever are in the ER and need a transfusion you’ll be billed thousands of dollars for each pint of blood. I don’t know if the people who’d donate blood just for cash (similar to biolife’s plasma operation) would be supplying the best quality of blood, but it might be better than a shortage? The point is they might want to consider offering some incentive $$$.

    • comments June 14, 2017 at 6:33 pm

      The point is someone along the line is making loads of cash off a “volunteer” operation, and donating blood is actually not healthy for your body. Even paying a pittance like biolife does i’m sure would clear up their “blood shortage” in no time.

      Also, be extremely carful driving after getting your blood drained. It can affect you in ways you can’t anticipate, and often juice and crackers won’t be enough to fix you up. Best to wait a few hours before driving; if you’ve never had your blood drained before, even more important.

  • ladybugavenger June 14, 2017 at 7:48 pm

    I have donated blood a few times. I have o+ Good blood, never a problem donating, but bob brought up a point and that is I donate for free. I donate for free and someone turns around and make money off my blood? (you know they are profiting if they are charging) so I think I’ll stop donating until I get a piece of the money. Sorry blood needers.

    • comments June 15, 2017 at 2:35 pm

      i dont know LB, I think/hope they do have to take and test all this blood they collect for HIV AIDS, hepatitises, STDs, green jungle monkey fever, etc etc. All this testing for all this disease probly costs a bundle. maybe in the end, for a few thousand $$$ a pint it’s a hot bargain. I aint an expert 😉

      • comments June 15, 2017 at 2:36 pm

        The point is u maybe should keep giving them your blood for free, cuz maybe u are saving people. who knows? 😉

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