Red Cross urgently needs blood donations before summer ends

Don Riley of Blodgett chats with Joan Dambach with the American Red Cross as he donates blood Wednesday during an American Red Cross blood drive at the St. Denis Parish Center in Benton. An emergency need for blood donations remains as summer winds down, and several area blood drives are scheduled in the coming weeks.

Leonna Heuring/Standard Democrat

SIKESTON — As summer winds down, the American Red Cross urges individuals to give blood and platelets now and help end an emergency summer blood shortage that began last month.

An emergency need remains as many regular donors delay giving to take final summer vacations and prepare for school to start, said Tara Lincoln, donor recruitment representative with the Red Cross in Cape Girardeau. To ensure live-saving treatments remain available for patients in the coming weeks, donations are needed now, especially blood type O.

“The American Red Cross needs donors of all blood types to help overcome an ongoing emergency blood shortage,” Lincoln said.

Donors’ help is needed now to ensure patients don’t experience delays in critical treatments, Lincoln said.  

Locally, blood drives are scheduled through the end of the month and into September. A blood drive is set for 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday at Hunter Memorial Presbyterian Church in Sikeston and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday at First General Baptist Church in Malden.

In thanks for helping at this time, all those who come to donate blood or platelets through Aug. 30 will receive a $5 Amazon.com Gift Card via email. (Restrictions apply; see amazon.com/gc-legal.)

Another area blood drive will be from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Aug. 31 at American Legion Post 59 in Dexter and also from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Charleston High School in Charleston.

Missouri Department of Transportation, 2675 N. Main St. in Sikeston, will host a blood drive from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 4.

Scott County Central High School will be the site for a blood drive from 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sept. 7.

Then from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sept. 13, Missouri Delta Medical Center in Sikeston will host a blood drive.

To donate blood, individuals must be in good health and feeling well, be at least 16 years old and weigh at least 110 pounds.

Make an appointment to donate blood by downloading the free American Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767). Those who donated blood earlier this summer may be eligible to give again. Blood can be safely given every 56 days, and Power Red donations can be given every 16 weeks. “Power Red” is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow you to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning your plasma and platelets to you, according to the Red Cross.