Need for blood donations remains high

In recent Herald-News stories over the last month, the American Red Cross stressed that the need for platelets and all blood types - especially type O - was desperately needed.

The Red Cross said in a news release Monday that the need for blood remains high because hospitals are responding to “an unusually high number of traumas and emergency room visits, organ transplants and elective surgeries.”

To meet that need, the Red Cross must collect more than 1,000 extra blood donations every day, the news release said.

Here are places Will County residents can donate in July:

Bolingbrook

July 23: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Community Service Council, 440 Quadrangle Dr., Suite C

July 30: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., The Promenade Bolingbrook, 631 E. Boughton Road

Joliet

July 21: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Rialto Square Theatre, 102 N Chicago St.

July 23: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Louis Joliet Mall, 3340 Mall Loop Drive

Romeoville

July 20: 1 p.m. to 6 p.m., American Red Cross, 1293 Windham Parkway

July 26: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Romeoville Recreation Center, 900 W Romeo Road

July 28: 12 p.m. to 5 p.m., American Red Cross, 1293 Windham Parkway

July 30: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., American Red Cross, 1293 Windham Parkway

Schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets as soon as possible by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Versiti Blood Center of Illinois has a donor facility at 2625 W. Jefferson St. in Joliet. Visit donate.illinois.versiti.org and click the “Schedule to Donate” tab.