Donors in high demand as National Volunteer Blood Donor Month celebrated

SIKESTON — The American Red Cross is celebrating January as National Volunteer Blood Donor Month. With the holiday season over, blood donors are in high demand in order to give someone else another chance at life.

The American Red Cross in Southeast Missouri encourages anybody who is eligible to give blood to go donate blood for patients in need.

Joe Zyldo, regional communications manager of the American Red Cross’ Missouri and Arkansas region, said the winter months can make it very difficult to collect enough blood to meet patients’ needs.

“Coming off of the Christmas holidays, those are always really tough times for us because people don’t think to donate, and the other factor that they tend to deal with over the winter months and the early portion of January is that schools are out,” Zyldo said.

Zlydo said that about 18 to 20% of their blood drives are at schools, and those breaks can make it challenging as well.

Seasonal illness and winter storms are also causing problems with the blood supply this winter. Cold, flu and COVID-19, combined with winter storms, have resulted in several hundred uncollected blood donations.

“The flu has been really bad this year, and COVID-19 causes are impacting that as well, along with other seasonal illnesses,” Zyldo said.

He continued: “The message that we are trying to get across with January is that if you’re healthy and eligible to donate blood, now is the time to do it to help us get the blood levels back to where they need to be.”

Fortunately, there is no national scarcity this year, as there was the previous year, but there is a significant need for all blood types, particularly type O, Zyldo said. O-negative is a universal blood type that may be transfused to anybody, whereas O-positive can be transfused to anyone who has a positive blood type classification.

Anyone who is type A, B, or AB positive can have O-positive transfused if needed in a trauma or surgical condition.

Zyldo said they like to keep a five-day blood supply, and as of right now, they do not have that, so they need as many donors as possible.

There are many blood drives going on this month in Southeast Missouri, and Zyldo is encouraging others to get out and donate blood this month at one of the blood drives.

One drive happening this month is at the YMCA of Southeast Missouri, 511 Taylor St., in Sikeston, from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Jan. 19-20 and 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Jan. 21. A blood drive in Charleston, Missouri, will also be from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Jan. 27 at Charleston High School, 604 S. Thorn St.

Also as part of Volunteer Blood Donor Month, Pro Football Hall of Famer and blood donor Peyton Manning is encouraging people to score big for patients in need this January.

Those who donate blood, platelets, or plasma between Jan. 1-31 will be entered to win a trip for two to Super Bowl LVII in Arizona, courtesy of a partnership with the National Football League.

The winner will also receive access to pregame festivities at the stadium on game day, tickets to the official Super Bowl Experience, round-trip flights to Phoenix, three-night hotel accommodations, and a $500-gift card for expenditures.

For more information or to find future drives, visit redcross.org.