January is National Blood Donor Month, and the American Red Cross is urging citizens to make an appointment to donate lifesaving blood or platelets as the new year dawns to help keep the blood supply strong this winter.
The start of the year is one of the most challenging times to collect blood products, according to the organization. Severe winter weather often thwarts blood drive efforts.
“Snow and ice caused about 16,000 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected last winter,” said Paul Sullivan, senior vice president of Donor Services for the American Red Cross, in a statement. “In addition, hazardous weather conditions can make it tougher to move vital blood products across the Red Cross network, potentially affecting deliveries to hospitals in some locations.”
The active cold and flu season is another hurdle, as people may refrain from donating as they rest and recover from illness. Over the last 20 years, Red Cross statistics reveal that the number of people donating blood to the Red Cross has fallen by about 40 percent. When fewer people donate blood, even small disruptions to blood donations can have a huge impact on the availability of blood products and dramatic consequences for those in need of emergency blood transfusion.
Blood products are currently going to hospitals faster than blood donations are coming in, and in recent weeks, the Red Cross has had to limit distributions of type-O blood products — among the most transfused blood types — to hospitals.
Thankfully, residents have opportunities nearby to share with those in need. As of press time, these are next local Red Cross-sponsored blood drives with spots available (visit http://www.redcrossblood.org and type 60521 in the zip code search field to sign up for a time).
• 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday, Jan. 20, at Advocate Good Samaritan Hospital, 3815 Highland Ave., Downers Grove
• 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 22, at American Legion Post 1941, 900 S. La Grange Road, La Grange
As an incentive, donors who give blood, platelets or plasma through Jan. 26 automatically will be entered for a chance to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVIX in New Orleans.
Right in town, the Tuthill Family Pet Rescue & Resource Center, 21 Salt Creek Lane in Hinsdale, will host a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Feb. 3. Visit http://www.hinsdalehumanesociety.org/events for more information.
If those dates don’t work with your schedule, take advantage of either of the two agencies in neighboring Westmont that accept blood donations year-round: Versiti at 6317 Fairview Ave. (www.versiti.org) and Vitalant at 1133 Fairview Ave. (www.vitalant.org).
Donors should try to drink plenty of caffeine-free beverages in the days leading up to the donation and remember to eat a healthy meal (low in fat and high in iron) at least two hours before. The entire process from registration to post-donation refreshments takes about an hour. And it just might be one of the most consequential hours you spend.
