Community Blood Center urges donations as blood emergency continues

The blood emergency declared by Community Blood Center (CBC) for the Greater Kansas City metropolitan area in June continues as we enter July and the holiday week. The organization is urging the community to come out and donate blood to help replenish the blood supply for more than 60 hospitals throughout the area including Kansas City, eastern Kansas and western Missouri. In order to maintain a safe blood supply, a seven-day inventory of all blood types must be continually restocked.

With the 4th of July holiday falling mid-week, many people go on vacation or use vacation days to extend the holiday. This means blood donations will be significantly lower. In fact, weekly blood donations are on a steady decline already with over a 50 percent drop in donations expected this week. Types O-, B- and A- are all at critical levels.

“While blood donations tend to slow down in the summer months, the need does not,” CBC Executive Director David Graham said. “Right now, supplies are low and we need all those who are able to donate and help ensure that every patient and hospital has access to life-saving blood when they need it.”

People with all blood types are encouraged to donate, especially donors with O negative and B negative blood types. O negative blood donors are considered “universal,” and their blood type is needed most readily in trauma situations and emergency rooms across the country. B negative is a particularly rare blood type.

Community members are encouraged to find time to donate blood at a CBC donor center or convenient mobile blood drive. Companies, organizations and community groups are also encouraged to host a blood drive this summer to help rebuild the blood stock supply.

How to help:

1)     Donate blood or platelets at a donor center.

2)     Donate at a mobile blood drive.

3)     Host a blood drive in your community or at your organization.

4)     Educate others in your family, community and organization about blood donations, and encourage them to donate themselves and/or host a blood drive.

5)     Promote the need for blood donors on social media.

For more information on where to donate or how to set up your own drive, visit www.savealifenow.org or call 1-877-468-6844.