Be a holiday hero; give the gift of life

Emergencies don’t take a holiday. The American Red Cross urgently needs blood donors so make an appointment now to give, and help ensure patients can get the treatment they need at a moment’s notice.

In November 2016, a 100-foot maple tree fell on Mike McMahon, causing life-threatening injuries. He needed 11 units of blood during emergency surgery and another seven units to treat complications after. Six weeks following the accident, McMahon was released from the hospital – just in time to spend the holidays with his family.

“I’m grateful for the donors who gave me such an amazing gift – the gift of life,” McMahon said. “I was an occasional blood donor before the accident. Today, I donate as often as I can to help ensure others receive blood when they need it most.”

Now is an important time to give blood. A seasonal decline in donations occurs from Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day when donors get busy with family gatherings and travel. In addition, severe winter weather can cause blood drive cancellations and negatively affect the blood supply. Patients like McMahon can’t afford for there to be a shortage of blood.

Give the gift of life, make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1.800.RedCross.org or calling 1.800.733.2767.

As a special thank you for helping meet the urgent need, those who donate from December 20 through January 6 will receive a long-sleeved Red Cross T-shirt, while supplies last.